The Afterlives of Khadi: Insights from Gujarat and India

Khadi, the fabric, and charkha, the instrument, were powerful symbols of the anti-colonial resistance movement in India and continued to be treated with regard by the post-colonial nation-state. However, in recent times, these artefacts have undergone substantial transformation. From being symbolic of rural resurgence and self-help in Gandhian nationalist rhetoric and of an inspired vision of ethical living based on alternate concepts of modernity, khadi and charkha have now become fused with economic and cultural goals of a distinctively capitalist order. In order to trace the shifts in khadi and charkha’s symbolism, we chose to examine two particular domains in the twin cities of Ahmedabad and Gandhinagar where a historical continuity has been claimed with the Gandhian legacies. We examined the evolving representation of the charkha in two museums, one each in the two cities, and the emergence of khadi as a fashion fabric in Ahmedabad. The article concludes with a reflection on the indifferent state of the much-vaunted khadi programme of the government in the country and in the state of Gujarat.