| Garad saree | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Production area | |
| Country |  India |
| State | West Bengal |
| Location | Mirzapur |
| Details | |
| Origin Place | Murshidabad and Birbhum, West Bengal |
| Ingredients | Silk |
| Length | 5.50–6.50 m |
| Breadth | 1.20 m |
| Style | Bengal tradition |
| Borders | 4–7 inches (10–18 cm) |
| Usage | Festival |
| Status | |
| GI Status | Registered |
| Application No. | 703 |
Garad saree (Bengali: গরদ শাড়ি) is a traditional handwoven saree (sari) of West Bengal. It is produced in Murshidabad and Birbhum districts of West Bengal. Mrityunjay Sarkar, a weaver of Mirzapur, is the inventor of this famous saree.[1] This handloom saree is famous for the beautiful delicate designs on the anchal and "butti", the use of 100% pure silk in the weave and the saree fineness of the fabric. In 2024, Garad Saree received recognition as a Registered Geographical indication.[2]
This saree is traditionally woven on fly shuttle pit looms using 90-92S silk yarn and golden zari yarn. Plain border and ground, or additional warp J/C or jala designs on the border and ground are observed on sarees. In the past, the saree had no design on the border, body and aanchal, and this saree was a symbol of holiness, purity and good shine. Even at present, Bengali Hindu women wear this saree during pujas, especially during the Ashtami puja of Durga Puja and the Sindur khela on the day of Bishorjan. The specialty of the Garad saree is that it is given a simple traditional Kha'i Māṛa or Khai Finish and finally folded into a special shape called pat.[2]
The weaving community of Raghunathganj and Murarai regions, make these sarees. As of 2024, more than 600 looms are involved in Garad saree weaving in Murshidabad and Birbhum districts of West Bengal. In the financial year 2018–19, Garad sarees with a value of ₹149.6 million (equivalent to ₹190 million or US$2.2 million in 2023) crore were traded.[3]
- ^ Cite error: The named reference
bartamanpatrikawas invoked but never defined (see the help page). - ^ a b "Application details of the Garad Saree – Geographical Indications". Intellectual Property India. Retrieved 21 January 2024.
- ^ "703 – Form GI-1 – 08-09-2020". Retrieved 29 February 2024.