![]() ![]() To put it simply, 'khadi was the material embodiment of an ideal' that represented freedom from colonialism on the one hand and a feeling of self-reliance and economic self-sufficiency on the other. It thus became a material to which people from diverse backgrounds could relate to. The key to Khadi becoming a successful tool for the freedom struggle lies in its uniqueness which picked up and re-crafted the then existing politico- economic critiques with its own distinctive qualities. It was a well-thought-out decision of Gandhi. 5 The choice of Khadi as a symbol was thus not the result of a whim. This is also evident in khadi being the result of Gandhi's own sartorial choices of transformation from that of an Englishman to that of one representing India. Gandhi and the indispensable role that he played in elevating it to the status of a national cloth. However, as an effective and powerful symbol of freedom struggle, it came to its fore due to its association with M. Within this dilemma of the new and the old came khadi. They are drawn towards the new, but are afraid to relinquish the old. 4 The people then begin to suffer from a sort of an intellectual cowardice which keeps them torn between shyness and desire. Moreover, When a country like India, with a rich heritage or well-founded traditions, has always been made the hunting ground of many opposing but tempting cultures, it puts on a hide of complacency which makes it insensitive to sudden shocks and incapable of quick reactions. Side by side with these changes in Indian fashions, English dresses were themselves being worn commonly. However, a tendency was noticeable among the younger generation of disposing the flowing cuts of previous eras and adopting a new European style of trousers. The Englishmen had never really actively propagated their dress earlier. It was in the beginning of the seventeenth century that the English first set their foot in India as a company of traders. The fact that hand-spinning as well as hand-weaving were quite prevalent in prehistoric India is quite evident from the oldest Vedas and Manusmriti. Anthropology gradually undermined the belief that clothes are needed to shield us from extreme cold or heat. Modesty is an instinct ranging between shame and fear. Partial or complete nudity might also be attributed to social taboo or some religious system. It is always unsafe to make sweeping statements about customs, for customs are often fossilized results of individual minds. The theory that clothes were necessary due to climatic conditions is not without its opponents. In this essay, it is proposed to examine how these very identities were constructed and used through the medium of a simple yet powerful cloth- khadi. The building up and casting aside of different identities by means of clothes has been a recurring theme in it. They reflect the personality of individuals and can be used as a marker of a group, community, family, region and even country. The clothes we wear have played an essential role throughout history. The article attempts to explore this role and the meaning that the cloth conveyed during the struggle and after. It has been referred to as the 'fabric of Indian independence' and had a key role to play in the freedom struggle. It is in this light that the paper tries to explore Gandhi's meaning of the fabric 'khadi' in the freedom struggle. The idea of meaning associated with what we wear is dominant in our society. A potent sign of resistance and change, clothing can be seen as a power changing mechanism. They have defined not only individuals but are often seen as markers of particular groups, communities, towns, and even countries. Clothes have always been integral to human identity. ![]()
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