02/10/2026
A spinning wheel may not sound like the obvious weapon of a liberation. Yet, during India’s struggle for independence, the humble charkha found became the symbol that connected politics with everyday life. Charaka became a small wheel with a big idea. It asked for patience , not wealth. It allowed men and women across social groups to contribute from their homes.
For Mahatma Gandhi, spinning yarn was not just a craft, it was participation. It turned that the act of clothing into act of resistance, linking to self-reliance, dignity and Swaraj.
Gandhi’s relationship with cloth was deeply practical. He wanted Indians to understand that freedom could not remain an idea discussed in political meetings. It had to be practised in daily life. Wearing khadi, spinning yarn and rejecting foreign cloth gave ordinary people a simple way to participate.
That is why textiles became such an important part of Gandhi’s public life and the wider freedom movement.
Today, Gandhi’s vision reminds us that textiles are more than fashion. It’s a statement and bounded with great stories and heritage. With the Gandhian non violent principles our Janapada Seva Trust (JST) founded by Sri Surendra Koulagi and Smt. Girija Koulagi, a young couple inspired by the vision of Mahatma Gandhi and J.C. Kumarappa, the Trust has remained committed to building a non-violent social order, one step, one life at a time.
On Gandhi Jayanti, the Charaka asks us to look beyond garments and honour the lives behind them .
Gandhiji’s portrait painting credits : Supraj Koulagi
