Khadi Across Generations

In India Khadi is not only considered a cloth but a representation of a movement carried out by the father of our nation Mahatma Gandhi. This hand spun and hand woven cloth symbolizes the Swadeshi Movement (1920’s) promoting the use of indigenous goods and upholding the ideology that Indians are capable of self-employment and self-reliance. The article ‘Visually Mapping the Nation: Swadeshi Politics in Nationalist India 1920-1930’ by Lisa N. Trivedi quotes that “Gandhi regarded visual experience as a neutral and transparent kind of communication that was open to everyone, and he privileged visual discourse as a means to spread the idea of national community. Khadi and the Charkha were therefore useful tools to spread Gandhi’s ideologies with neither the requirement of a single language nor the ability to read. This was an extremely intelligent step as it allowed him to get through to the masses.

I feel that post independence Khadi is remembered and utilized today mainly for it’s historical relevance and symbolism and not for the qualities and properties of the fabric alone. I interviewed two generations of women - my mother and grandmother to see the role that this fabric has played in their lives.

My mother’s first knowledge of Khadi came from her high school textbooks but it was only when she was in college that she really started appreciating and wearing the fabric. She recalls the ‘Khadi Gram Udhyog’s’ that were the only shops where Khadi was sold. During her college days and studying in a design institute, Khadi kurtas and jhola’s were popular.  She liked wearing the fabric primarily because it made her feel patriotic and was considered ethnic and chic. One of her fondest memories was in 1982 when she went on a college trip to Sabarmati ashram where she saw the Charkha that Gandhi used to weave Khadi. At that time (1980’s) Khadi textiles were not available in the colours, patterns and blends that it is today. It was therefore a very plain fabric and not too pleasing to the eye. Although many wore it, it was not as big a trend as tie-dye, block prints etc. When she was in her 20’s my mother was a big fan of traditional motifs and the work of Indian artisans. Some of the traditional textiles she admired were Kanjivaram, Uppada/Gadwal, and Ikat.

During the 1960’s and 1970’s when my grandmother was in her 20’s she used to stay in Chennai. She remembers Khadi being the most comfortable fabric to wear at night with the hot and humid coastal climate. It was also easy to wash and maintain. The Khadi Gram Udhyog’s were the only shops set up to buy the fabric. Over the years fewer and fewer people were seen wearing Khadi. The reason she relates to this was because the Khadi Gram Udhyog’s were poorly staffed and the existing staff was not at all motivated. The marketing and advertising for the sale of Khadi was also very inconsistent.

Khadi today has definitely evolved from originally considered a poor man’s cloth to a style statement. Several designers are using it in blends and prints to give it a contemporary touch. Its use is now not only restricted to clothes but has found space in various crafts, shoes and home décor. With the increase in demand for the fabric, the prices have also shot up. A Khadi scarf by a well-known designer like Ritu Kumar, Sabyasaachi Mukherjee or Rahul Mishra would probably cost around 4000 Rs. With the increase in its price the customer group for it’s purchase mostly comprises of the upper middle class and the elite. In this sense, I personally feel that the whole idea of Khadi being an affordable fabric is somehow lost.

After interviewing my mother and grandmother about Khadi, and noticing that Khadi was most prevalent in their lives during their 20’s, I couldn’t help but wonder the change in taste during their generations from mine. I don’t think I have ever worn Khadi nor do I see many people from my age group from college wear it either. Why is this?  This brings me to think about the concept of taste. How are tastes evolved? How do people decide what to wear and what appeals to them?

Looking at this from a basic viewpoint. Preference for clothing is evolved from climate. People from hot climates tend to wear lighter colours and suitable fabrics like cotton, whereas dark coloured, woolen and synthetics fabrics are worn in colder temperatures. Skin colour, body shape, and height also play an important role. The environment such as workplace, college etc. helps in choosing what to wear based on what is appropriate and what ones peers, colleagues are wearing. But who decides what is appropriate or what the current trend is? Media and advertisements come into play here and helps mold our tastes. We look at what our favourite actors or idols wear and we try to imitate them. We dress the way we want others to perceive us. It may be conservative, western, attention seeking etc. It is human nature to judge people based on what they wear. Even without talking to a person just by looking at what a person is wearing we tend to make assumptions about their personality. I am not saying this is a good thing nor bad, but it is just how the mind works. It’s whether we choose to believe these assumptions that makes the difference.

When I think of Khadi the first thing that comes to mind, is the rough, hand spun, coarse textile that was available 65 years ago. But this idea is completely different from the reality of today. With the availability of Khadi silk, Khadi – viscose and the numerous other blends in an array of colours, Khadi can no longer be considered the plain beige fabric that my mother spoke of. Our generation is just not aware of how Khadi has evolved and what is available today. Maybe this millennium just needs another charismatic personality to promote and make it popular.





http://wonderwoman.intoday.in/story/how-khadi-became-a-style-statement/1/92380.html

http://www.indianexpress.com/news/wearing-khadi-today-/659863/

Visually Mapping the Nation: Swadeshi Politics in Nationalist India 1920-1930, Lisa N. Trivedi, Association for Asian Studies, 2003