Intersections of Gender, Religion, and Education: The Case of Muslim Women Weavers in Varanasi

Publication Details

Publication Date

10/09/2026

Volume / Issue

Vol 1, Issue 4 (2026)

Article No.

012

Journal

British Journal of Contemporary Research

DOI

https://doi.org/10.67693/BJCR-JQAHVU5L

Received

12 Aug 2026

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4

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0

Abstract

In India, a large number of people are engaged in the work of textile weaving, a craft that has been passed down through generations. The domain of the Banarasi silk industry is vast and significantly dominated by the Islamic weaver community, who continue to breathe life into this tradition. As for Banaras, it is a cultural city known for its cultural heritage and unity in religious diversity. Here, along with Hinduism, Buddhism, Christianity, and Islam have flourished harmoniously. Places like Sarnath, churches, ghats, the Kashi Vishwanath Temple, and mosques have become popular tourist attractions. Known as Shivnagari, this city is believed to be where King Harishchandra was sold and where people come in search of salvation. It is also the birthplace of Kabir, the nirgun poet, whose legacy seems to be fading away. Kabir belonged to the Julaha (weaver) community, and this was both his birthplace and his land of work. It was from here that the weaver community emerged. After Kabir, it seems we are forgetting the weavers who laid the foundation of the nirgun tradition and introduced the Kabirpanthi faith, which was based on Hindu-Muslim unity. Does this unity still exist today? From my observation, it appears to be vanishing. The Kabirpanthi sect, which once symbolized Hindu-Muslim unity, is disappearing.

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This article is published under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License . Free to read, share, and adapt with attribution.