Silk weavers hit hard by global recession

Even as the silk industry of Varanasi has been trying hard to fight the competition posed by China and regain its foothold in the international markets, the global economic meltdown seems to be playing spoilsport. Banarsi sarees have been worn not only by women in India but also across the globe for centuries. However, this peculiar handicraft has been facing problems for the past few years. The demand for finished sarees has gone down over the years.