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Khadi
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Khadi (IAST) or khaddar (Devnagri: ???? or ????? Nastaliq: ???? ????) simply means cotton, usually handspun.
Khadi is Indian handspun and hand-woven cloth. The raw materials may be cotton, silk, or wool, which are spun into threads on a spinning wheel called a charkha.
Khadi is a versatile fabric, cool in summers and warm in winters. However, being a cruder form of material, it crumples much faster than other preparations of cotton.
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Khadi (IAST) or khaddar (Devnagri: ???? or ????? Nastaliq: ???? ????) simply means cotton, usually handspun.
Khadi is Indian handspun and hand-woven cloth. The raw materials may be cotton, silk, or wool, which are spun into threads on a spinning wheel called a charkha.
Khadi is a versatile fabric, cool in summers and warm in winters. However, being a cruder form of material, it crumples much faster than other preparations of cotton. In order to improve the look, khadi is often starched to have a stiffer shape. It is widely accepted in fashion circles these days.
Mahatma Gandhi began promoting the spinning of khadi for rural self-employment in 1920s India. He also wanted to spread the message of not using foreign clothes. The freedom struggle revolved around the use of khadi fabrics and the dumping of foreign-made clothes. Thus it symbolized the political ideas and independence itself, and to this day most politicians in India are seen only in khadi clothing. The flag of India is only allowed to be made from this material, although in practice many flag manufacturers, especially those outside of India, ignore this rule.
Khadi was used, and dyed random colors, in some of the costumes for the Star Wars prequels, such as Mace Windu's (Samuel L. Jackson) attire.
See also
Khadi commands a sentimental value for Indians. It is often associated with Mahatma Gandhi. Someone said, the first true Indian designer was Mahatma because of his appeal to Indians to wear khadi garments. That appeal was necessitated because of the need of creating self reliance and proving unity of India to English. Khadi also symbolized the need and importance of indigenous manufactured goods. Khadi represented India’s resistance and revolution. Khadi was also the face of Indian identity. Many people get confused between charkha with kargha (handloom). The basic difference between the two is while khadi is hand made; handloom yarn is processed at the mills.
The actual meaning of khadi is any cloth that is hand spun and hand woven. India has long history of textiles. In the Vedic period, Aryans used to produce their own cloth. Khadi had an important role in marriage functions. Khadi charkhas were presented to brides in their wedding trousseau to encourage spinning of the yarn.
Even history supports and validates importance of khadi and basic Indian textiles. As per the historians, Alexander the Great was mesmerized by the art of fabric making and printing. The renowned traveler Marco Polo was also dazzled by this Indian beauty. But it was our own father of the nation who gave it the real importance which was long due. His launching of movement of spin your own cloth and buy hand spun cloth had whole country flocking to wear khadi and rejecting all other types of textiles. No wonder, khadi is considered as the fabric of the freedom struggle.
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