A cluster is defined as a geographic concentration(a city/town/few adjacent villages and their adjoining areas)of units producing near similar products and facing common opportunities and threats.An artisan cluster is defined as geographically concentrated (mostly in villages/townships)household units producing handicraft/handloom products.In a typical cluster, such producers often belong to a traditional community, producing the long-established products for generations.Indeed, many artisan clusters are centuries old Artisan.

About Varanasi Cluster:-

Varanasi Cluster falls under Uttar Pradesh State in Varanasi district.

The Varanasi cluster is able to form 200 plus Artisans & 10 SHGs supporting the strong work force.The mobilisation gains momentum day by day.

Zari, Zardozi:-

Embroidery done with metallic threads is called kalabattu and forms the zari.The main zari production centres are Varanasi in Uttar Pradesh.Here the metal ingots are melted into metal bars called pasa from which lengths are got by beating it after treatment. This is then pulled through perforated steel plates to make it into wires, followed by the tarkashi process to make it thin with rubber and diamond dies.The last stage is called badla where the wire is flattened and twisted with silk or cotton thread to become kasab or kalabattu.This has uniform evenness, flexibility, softness, and ductility.Kasab can stand for real silver/gold, as well as for plated silver/gold or for an imitation in which a copper base is given a coat of silver or golden color to make the product less expensive.

Zari thread is used widely in weaving but more selectively in embroidery.For intricate patterns gijai or a thin, stiff wire is used; sitara, a small star-shaped metal piece is used for floral designs.This type of embroidery is called salma-sitara.The thicker kalabattu is a braided gold thread used for borders while the thinner variety is used at the end of the drawstring of purses or batwas, and in tassels, necklaces, and strings.Tikora is a gold thread spirally twisted for complicated designs.The dull zari thread is called kora and the more shiny one is called chikna.The equipment that is used for embroidery is a rectangular wooden-frame called karchob and a wooden leg called thapa used for sewing laces.Listed below are different kinds of zari work.

Zardozi: This is a heavy and more elaborate embroidery work which uses varieties of gold threads, spangles, beads, seed pearls, wire, and gota.It is used to embellish wedding outfits, heavy coats, cushions, curtains, canopies, animal trappings, bags, purses, belts, and shoes.The material on which this kind of embroidery is done is usually heavy silk, velvet and satin.The kind of stitches found are salma-sitara, gijai, badla, katori, and seed pearls, among others.The main centres are in Delhi, Jaipur, Banaras, Agra, and Surat.The old teach the young and the skill continues from generation to generation.

Kamdani : This is a lighter needlework which is done on lighter material like scarves, veils, and caps.Ordinary thread is used and the wire is pressed down with the stitching producing a satin-stitch effect.The effect produced is glittering and is called hazara butti(thousand lights).

Mina Work : This is thus called owing to its resemblance with enamel work.The embroidery is done in gold.

Kataoki Bel : This is a border pattern made of stiff canvas and the whole surface is filled with sequin edging.A variation of this border technique is lace made on net and filled with zari stitches and spangles.

Makaish : This is one of the oldest styles and is done with silver wire or badla.The wire itself serves as a needle, piercing the material to complete the stitches.A variety of designs are produced in this manner.

Tilla or Marori Work : This is the kind of embroidery where gold thread is stitched on to the surface with a needle.

Gota Work: The woven gold border is cut into various shapes to create a variety of textures in the patterns.In Jaipur the border of the material or sari is cut into shapes of birds, animals, and human figures, attached to the cloth, and covered with wires of silver and gold; it is surrounded by coloured silks.The work resembles enameling.

Kinari Work: A small variation is kinari work where the embellishments are done only at the edges in the form of tassels.This is done mainly by men and women of the Muslim community.

Raw Materials:-

Basic Material: Silk, zari, cotton, polyester, jacquard loom; dori (thread; 80no./60 no., mercerized yarn(dhaga)30 no.

Decorative Material: Peacock feathers.

Coloring Material: Bukani (colour powder).

Process:-

A pattern of the design to be woven is drawn on paper.The design is transferred on the cotton yarn with the help of tilli through the warp and weft grid.This contrivance is known as jala, which contains the total graphic pattern.This jala is hung from top of the loom and tied to the warp threads only the controlled warp threads are lifted as per the design.Extra weft threads of zari/ silk are inserted in the raised portions, row by row, along with the running weft thread.Jala device has been replaced by the punched cardson; the jacquard looms for these brocade decorations.Gyasar the Tibetan woven offerings are very closely woven.Apart from the silk/zari thread peacock feathers are used in a satin weave to produce an entire surface of the feathers.The motifs are woven on dark red, yellow, blue and white satin ground with use of gold and silver zari.

Techniques:-

Applique-and-Cut technique:-

Normally, fine white stranded cotton is used for chikan embroidery.Some stitches are worked from the front of the fabric, others from the back.Sheila Paine, in the book Chikan Embroidery, observes that there are six basic stitches, which are used in combination with a series of stitches for embossing flowers and leaves.Pulled work(known in chikan work by the Hindi word jali, which means a window with a pierced lattice, which can be looked out of but not into)and khatao(an applique-and-cut technique, where one piece of fabric is hemmed on to another piece and then cut away) complete the repertoire.

How to reach:-

By Air:-

Lucknow is well connected by air with the major cities and towns in India. Lucknow airport is at Amausi, located about 15 km from the city center.

By Road:-

Lucknow is well connected by a network of roads and road transport to all major towns of Uttar Pradesh and surrounding areas. The distance between Lucknow and other prominent cities are: Delhi (497km), Agra (363km), Allahabad (238 km), Dehradun (582km), Kanpur (77km) and Varanasi (300km).

By Train:-

Lucknow has two main rail junctions- Charbagh and Lucknow. It has good rail network touching all the important rail junctions in the country.