Steeped in Varanasi’s craft heritage, a Banarasi zari sari is a bespoke legacy and a cherished family heirloom of intrinsic emotional value to be passed down from one generation to the next. Similarly, the Banarasi sari business of the Shah family has been handed down from generation to generation, with the current owners being the fourth.
And it is this new generation that is now powering it to the forefront by moving out to Delhi and launching a new store in the national capital’s Mehrauli area. While the company has been in existence since 1950, the Shanti Benaras brand is just three years old with its young torchbearers, the brother-sister duo of Khushi Shah and Amrit Shah, leading the way.
The sweeping stairs flanked by Qutub Minar’s heritage compound wall on one hand and the store’s modern facade on the other, is a reflection of what you will find in the store—an old-world craft meeting 21st century aesthetics. Says Rama Mehra of Rama Mehra Studio, who designed the space, “We wanted the store to speak Shanti’s language of history meeting avant-garde fashion where the showcase is of thoughts and values in addition to the products.”
Plush furniture and lush lights lead you through three sections—first, a gallery of pichchwai paintings showcased with a captivating display of shawls; the second is of rich zari saris in dampaj, jangla and brocades, and the third has hand-embroidered lehengas with rich zari work.
As the founder, Khushi, says, “This store holds four generations of hopes and dreams for a craft that we love.” Co-founder and brother Amrit adds, “Our dream was to create a store that allows easy access to real zari and that is why we are bringing this experience of Banaras and its craft mastery to Mehrauli.”
Clearly, a masterstroke in art and design.