Home Preparation for National Talent Search Examination (NTSE)/ Olympiad
Chapter : 5. Clothing : A Social History
C. Not All Could Wear Khadi
Mahatma Gandhi's dream was to clothe the whole nation in Khadi. Though he succeeded using khadi as a source to inspire the Indian people but there were many with different opinions. (i) The British machine made clothes were much cheaper as compared to khadi. Poverty rate was very high in India, so most of the poor started adopting foreign clothes. (ii) The wealthy Parsi's of western India were among the first to adapt Western-style clothing because western clothes were a sign of modernity and progress. (iii) Though Moti Lal Nehru gave up his expensive Western-style suits and adopted the Indian dhoti and kurta, but these were not made up of coarse material as suggested by Gandhiji. (iv) As the caste system in India was very rigid and western dress style was for all. So many people adopted it for self-respect and equality.