Chalti ka naam khadi

Artist Shelly Jyoti has drawn inspiration from the Gandhian philosophy of swadharma (own duty) and sarvodaya (universal uplift) for her exhibition “Salt: The Great March” which was inaugurated recently in New Delhi. The Gurgaon-based artist has collaborated with Ajrakh artists from Bhuj to adapt quilt-making traditions to khadi. “Ajrak is a traditional form of printing in Gujarat and it is where the roots of Gandhian philosophy lie. I have used swadharma and sarvodaya as metaphors,” says Jyoti.

Designer Gehani showcased successfully her khadi collections at fashion weeks. She is one of the few designers who has managed to give khadi a makeover imaginatively with new techniques.

“The khadi blends that I developed in 2000 have taken the traditional fabric to higher echelons. I did it by blending khadi silk and khadi cotton with manmade eco-fibres, ‘tencel’ and ‘modal’ (extracted from tree bark). This blend makes the fabric ideal for contemporary Indian as well as Western cuts,” Gehani adds.

New age designers say that the handspun fabric connects with slogans like eco-friendliness and rural empowerment. “Well, after over 60 years of Independence and definitely after over 75 years since Gandhi first began to spin the iconic fabric, the world has changed. ‘Eco-friendly’ and ‘Rural Empowerment’ have become buzzwords and people with discerning tastes and social concerns are keen to continue the ideals of the Mahatma. It is but natural that khadi has moved out of the popular genre to a more elite class,” observes designer Wendell Rodricks.

For Hyderabad-based fashion designer Shravan Kumar Ramaswamy, khadi is a fabric that conquers the emotional barrier and comes touchingly close to the wearer. “This time I want to uplift the weavers of Ponduru khadi which gives us some of the most beautiful shades.”

Viji Reddy, an award winning multi-media artist, says “This is a very special collection that are hand-embroidered and impressed with motifs of sea shells on textured khadi cotton which reminds one of the light that reflects off the sand on a summer day.”

Gaurang Shah, another award winning textile designer from Hyderabad has created a revolution in India. One can find interesting fusions like a khadi saree with a Muga Tussar border. He picks eco-friendly and natural dyes, saying “they enhance the saree”.

Today khadi can be best described as a fabric with attitude. The present generation opts for eco-friendly and natural garments. And khadi strikes that perfect balance between aesthetics and functionality, thus making it an ideal draping solution in Indian tropical conditions. With top designers vying to turn this national fabric into ethereal creations, khadi is on an upswing.