Charakha ~ Fashioning Swadeshi

Here is the some parts of Article publish in 20th October EPW : "Fashioning Swadeshi" ~ Clothing women in colonial north India.

I don't know that Fashioning play such huge role in Indian Independence movement !

Charakha became Symbol of Independce during swadeshi movement and Khadi refer as "Fabric of Independent India "

► Women Journal Grihlakshmi wrote :

जब तक हम जीवित हो हमारे परिधान स्वदेशी हो और, 
जब हम मर हमारे कफन स्वदेशी हो 

(While we live our apparel be of swadeshi, when we die our shroud be
of swadeshi.)

►A leading writer went on to explain the relationship between Beauty and good conduct :-

Some argue that there is no relationship between beauty and good conduct. They just crave for beauty: in forest and at home, in society and while alone, in temple and at whorehouse, in milk and in wine, in sacrifi ce and in lust, in Sita and in Rambha. … However, I have a serious objection to such uncontrolled power of beauty. … A woman’s beauty is not in colours, not in jewellery, not in fashion, and not in makeup, but in good conduct, in swadeshi, in simplicity. It is that which provides us with wholesome and pure joy. … Thus we rate Sita, Savitri, Ahilya and Mira above Rati, Rambha, Menaka and Urvashi

► A poem titled Veer Nari ka Pati se Vinay (Request of a Brave Woman to her Husband):-
मंगा ए प्रीतम, मुझे चरख Chalana है.

मुफ्त में  बैठने का नहीं प्यारे ज़माना है.

विदेशी कपड़े जो rakhe है अब जला डालो तुम. 

बने कापड़े स्वदेशी अब यही दिल में समाना है.

मुझे शर्म आती है, और विदेशी टैग पहनने कभी नहीं होगा.

मैं एक स्वयंसेवक हो जाएगा, स्वतंत्रता झंडा उठाने के लिये

(My dear, get me a charkha.
This is no time to twitter.
Burn all your foreign cloth.
Cook your own swadeshi broth.
I feel ashamed, and will never wear the foreign tag.
I will be a volunteer, and raise the freedom fl ag)

► The ‘Bad’ Housewife and the ‘Western’ Woman :-

मलमल और क्रेप के विदेश साड़ी,

भारतीय पुरुषों हक्का - बक्का उन्हें बनाया ,

महिलाओं, जो अपने घूंघट उठाया कभी नहीं,

इन साड़ियों पहनो और नग्न दिखाई देते हैं.

अपने आप को डूब, तुम बेशर्म प्रबंधक,

आप अपने पैसे और सम्मान दोनों खो)

(Foreign saris of muslin and crepe,
Make the Indian men gape.
Women, who never lifted their veil,
Wear these saris and appear naked.
Drown yourself, you shameless goner,
You lose both your money and honour)

 ► A swadeshi poem implored :-

Fashion of India has been swept away.
It is khadi and simplicity that hold sway…
Do not buy colours of Holi from abroad.
They are deeply fl awed.
Rub camphor, saffron and sandal.
Light a swadeshi candle

There was no household in the past where charkha was not run.These charkhas produced yarn in ton.Gifting charkha in dowry was widespread. Hindu women considered themselves auspiciously wed