In a powerful blend of tradition and environmental stewardship, Lucknow-born textile revivalist Chandra Jain is spearheading the revival of Banarasi brocade one of India's most opulent textile traditions through her NGO, Kadambari.

She was alarmed by the fading glory of Banarasi brocade oversaturated with synthetic silks, garish trends, and artificial zari that strayed far from the heirloom pieces of her childhood. Upon discovering the extent of ecological damage and aesthetic dilution, she made it her mission to reinstate natural dyes forgotten in the craft for over a century.

This move was not just about beauty, but also about preserving the Ganga’s fragile ecosystem. Synthetic dye runoff was poisoning the river, so Jain’s reintroduction of plant-based dyeing from boiling flowers to extracting color by hand marked both a cultural and ecological revival.

Her work culminated in the River Weaves: Brocades of Banaras exhibition at the Bangalore International Centre (August 15–20), curated with Siddhartha Das and Chiara Nath. The immersive showcase weaves together history, craftsmanship, and urgency, inviting visitors to ask: “How can I help preserve this legacy?”

For Jain, the survival of Banarasi brocade lies not just in preservation, but in relevance in weaving nature, memory, and responsibility into modern life.