Silk Brocade Weaving in Karauli: A Heritage Textile

Karauli has a small but historically significant silk brocade weaving tradition, patronised by the Karauli royal family for court dress and temple cloth (vastra). Weavers in the old city quarters produce silk fabric with gold and silver brocade patterns (kinkhab) on draw looms. The technique involves supplementary weft threads of metallic wire (zari) woven in patterns of flowering vines, birds, and geometric stars on a plain or twill silk ground. Each width of fabric takes days to set up on the loom and weeks to weave. The karigars (master weavers) are a small community, many having migrated from Varanasi and Surat. Festival demand from wealthy families and temples sustains a small market. Design cards (naqsha) punched with pattern information are passed between generations within weaver families. Craft missions are working to document and revive this endangered textile tradition.