The sarees of Surat
Gujarat's great textile city, which makes much of India's synthetic saris and has long been a centre for zari thread and brocade.
Motifs of Surat
Woven here
Best time: November to February.
Surat is a port city on the Tapi river, in south Gujarat. Today it is a leading producer of synthetic and blended saris, and it has a long past as a place for zari and brocade. Its markets move cloth in large quantities across India.
What is woven here
Surat makes a very large number of printed and woven saris on powerlooms, in synthetics such as georgette and in blends. Gold and silver thread, called zari, has been made here for a long time, and the city has a tradition of brocade known as Surat kinkhab. A related craft is the weaving of Tanchoi, a silk brocade from the city's past.
The craft and its people
Most of the cloth is made in powerloom units and processing houses, and the city employs very large numbers of workers. Zari making and old brocade work are carried on in smaller units. A mixture of local and migrant workers keeps the markets running.
Seeing it
Surat's wholesale textile markets are large and crowded, and the best way to see them is with a trade contact. The old city has a fort on the river and several museums. Visitors interested in zari should ask for a local craft guide.
A trail idea for Surat
- Textile market area See how finished saris are sorted, folded and sold in bulk, ideally with a trade contact.
- Zari and thread makers Ask a local guide about the units that still make real metallic thread.
- Surat Castle and the river front A sixteenth-century fort on the Tapi, a short visit to place the city's trading past.
Written by the EveryPallu desk with AI assistance. Background: "Surat" on Wikipedia. Opening hours, markets and workshops change; check locally before travelling. If something is wrong, tell us.
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