Khadi – A Sartorial Call for Mobilization

Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi had a knack for identifying the simplest of things which would have an impact on the masses. He knew that food and clothing mattered the most to the impoverished millions in India. The Dandi March was a clarion call to defy the salt laws. The Swadeshi enterprise with khadi as the dominant theme showed Gandhi's immense skill at effective mobilization. This paper would try to show how khadi was used by Gandhi to give a firmer shape to the Indian National Movement by involving all sections of the people especially women and children. Gandhi’s attitude towards women comes out strongly in the course of this discussion. An attempt is also made to address the question of fashion.[1] It is important to note that Gandhi did not simply preach but also lived through example. Gandhi’s life presents itself as a sartorial experience which he transmitted to the masses through khadi.