ÃÂSwadeshi was the soul of Swaraj and Khadi was the essence of Swadeshi.ÃÂ GandhiÃÂs favorite obsession, khadi, played a key role in the fostering of an Indian national identity. As such, the study of khadi is integral in understanding Gandhian politics and Indian nationalism from the years 1919- 1947. However, the symbolic manifestations represented by khadi and put forth by Gandhi are not without their critics. Many historians question the effectiveness of using khadi as a national symbol and have highlighted that it undermined the pursuit of an Indian national identity rather than playing a key role in strengthening it. As such, what was khadiÃÂs role in shaping Indian national identity?The purpose of this essay is to provide an analysis of the role played by khadi in the shaping of an Indian national identity. ÃÂIndian National identityÃÂ is to be defined as the inclusion of different sections of the Indian population in pursuit of Swaraj as well as the intensification of the ÃÂUs and ThemÃÂ divide between the Indians and the British.
English: Gandhi during the Salt March, March 1930....
Mohandas Gandhi gave rise to a whole new generatio...
I do not recall spending long hours in front of a ...With this in mind, there has been much criticism of khadhi in the economic, social and political spectrum thus questioning itÃÂs effectiveness as a uniformed and inclusive national symbol. However, though khadi is not without its limitations, the criticisms seem to be largely based on a contemporary perspective rather than from a viewpoint taking into account the context of Indian nationalism struggling for a primary goal of sovereignty. This writer would attempt to highlight the inclusive nature of khadi with regards to different sections of the Indian population which came to be a unique feature of Gandhian politics. This writer would then analyze the key attributes of Khadi such as the advantages that came with ÃÂmoldable definitionsÃÂ, its role in visual stimulation as well as its symbolic potential...