Open a Banarasi saree and you are looking at a language. Every flower, vine and leaf has a name, a place on the saree and a way of being woven. Once you learn a few of the words, the saree starts to read.
This glossary explains the main motifs in plain terms, where they appear and how to recognise them.
The short answer
- Buti is a small motif.
- Buta is a larger motif.
- Bel is a vine or creeper motif, often along the border.
- Kalga is a plume-shaped motif, close to a paisley.
- Jaal is a net-like all-over pattern.
- Shikargah is a hunting scene.
The rest of this page expands on each.
Where motifs sit on a saree
It helps to know the parts of a saree first.
- Body (or zameen): the main field of the saree.
- Border: the woven edge that runs along the length.
- Pallu (or anchal): the decorated end that drapes over the shoulder.
- Kona: the corner motif, often a kalga, near the pallu.
- Jhallar: a decorative fringe or edge.
Motifs appear in all of these, and the pallu is usually the most elaborate.
Banarasi motifs: the glossary
Buti (or butti)
A buti is a small, repeated motif, often a flower, leaf or small geometric shape, woven in zari or colour. Scattered over the body, butis create a light, even surface. A saree with butis feels airy.
Look for it: across the body of organza, georgette and lighter katan sarees.
Buta (or butta)
A buta is a larger version of a buti, often a single, prominent flower or leaf. It may be woven in rows or alone. A buta saree has a bolder, more graphic character.
Look for it: in the body or pallu of katan sarees.
Bel
A bel is a vine or creeper that winds along the border or across the saree, with flowers and leaves branching off. The word means vine in Hindi.
Look for it: in borders, and in sarees with trailing floral patterns.
Kalga
A kalga is a plume or crest-shaped motif. It resembles a paisley, a curved teardrop with a pointed tip. The word refers to the feathered plume once worn on a royal turban. Kalga motifs are often woven large in the pallu and the kona.
Look for it: in the pallu, the corner and the border.
Ambi or kairi
A mango-shaped motif, closely related to the paisley and the kalga. It symbolises abundance in Indian design.
Look for it: in pallus and borders, often in rows.
Jaal
A jaal is a net-like, all-over pattern in which flowers, leaves and vines are linked into a lattice that covers the saree. It is one of the great Banarasi signatures. A dense jaal in leaves and creepers is sometimes called jangla. See our katan jangla guide.
Look for it: across the body of katan jangla and Jamawar sarees.
Shikargah
A shikargah is a hunting scene, with hunters on horseback or elephants, tigers, deer and birds among foliage. It draws on Mughal-era miniature painting. It is one of the few Banarasi designs with figures. Read our full guide to the shikargah saree.
Look for it: on the body and pallu of shikargah sarees.
Asharfi
A round, coin-like motif. The word refers to a gold coin. Woven in rows, asharfis give a sense of richness.
Look for it: on borders and body.
Phool and patti
Flowers (phool) and leaves (patti) are the building blocks of nearly all Banarasi design. Together they form buti, buta, bel and jaal.
Meenakari
Not a motif but a technique: coloured silk threads woven in to look like enamel on jewellery. It can appear in any motif. See our Meenakari, Rangkat and Jaal guide.
Quick reference
| Motif | What it is | Where you find it |
|---|---|---|
| Buti | Small repeated motif | Body of lighter sarees |
| Buta | Larger single motif | Body and pallu |
| Bel | Vine or creeper | Borders and trailing designs |
| Kalga | Plume, paisley-like | Pallu, kona, border |
| Ambi / Kairi | Mango motif | Pallu, border |
| Jaal | Net-like all-over pattern | Body of jangla and Jamawar |
| Shikargah | Hunting scene | Body and pallu |
| Asharfi | Coin-like round motif | Border and body |
Why these motifs?
Banarasi design grew out of many traditions. Persian and Mughal art brought floral forms, intricate vines and the paisley. Indian textile traditions brought their own flowers and symbols. Islamic art tends to avoid figures, and floral and geometric motifs carry much of the decoration, while the shikargah is an exception. We explore this in the history of Banarasi silk weaving.
How a design reaches the loom
Designs are first drawn on graph paper by a specialist, often called a naqshaband, who maps the pattern thread by thread. That plan is then translated into instructions the loom can follow. Each motif is built up through hundreds of threads. This is why a densely woven saree takes time, and why the back of a well-made saree looks neat. We describe the people behind this in our piece on the weavers of Varanasi.
Reading a saree like an expert
Next time you look at a Banarasi saree, try this:
- 1. Look at the body. Is it butis, butas or a jaal?
- 2. Look at the border. Is there a bel or a row of ambis?
- 3. Look at the pallu. Where is the kalga?
- 4. Look at the corner. Is there a kona?
- 5. Look at the back. Are the thread ends neat?
Further reading on banarasi motifs: Banarasi sari on Wikipedia.
Key takeaways
- Buti is small, buta is large, bel is a vine, kalga is a plume, jaal is a net.
- Shikargah is the figurative exception, a hunting scene.
- Motifs sit in the body, border, pallu and corner.
- Designs are mapped thread by thread before weaving begins.
Frequently Asked Questions
A buti is a small motif, usually a flower or leaf, repeated across the body of a saree.
A buti is small and a buta is larger. Both are woven motifs, but a buta is bolder.
They are closely related. A kalga is the Banarasi plume-shaped motif, which resembles the paisley.
Jaal means net. In a saree it describes a lattice of connected flowers and vines across the fabric.
A saree woven with hunting scenes: figures on horseback or elephants, animals and foliage.
Designs are mapped on graph paper by a specialist and then translated for the loom, with the weaver bringing them to life.
Message us on WhatsApp at +91 63073 05873 or visit our Varanasi showroom, and we will walk you through banarasi motifs with the saree in your hands.