Next: 2 Oct 2027
Gandhi Jayanti and khadi
The birthday of Mahatma Gandhi on 2 October, the day of the spinning wheel and of khadi, hand-spun and hand-woven cloth.
What is worn for Gandhi Jayanti and khadi
Gandhi Jayanti, 2 October, is the birthday of Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi, born in 1869, and is a national holiday. Gandhi made the charkha, the spinning wheel, and khadi, cloth spun and woven by hand, into symbols of self-reliance and of the boycott of mill cloth during the independence movement. On this day khadi shops and the state khadi boards often hold sales, and prayers are held at Rajghat in Delhi. Khadi sarees, in cotton or silk, are plain, light and breathable and are worn by many women on this day and through the year. Today the cloth is also made as a fashion fabric in a range of colours and finishes.
The sarees
Written by the EveryPallu desk with AI assistance. Background: "Gandhi Jayanti" on Wikipedia. Customs differ from place to place and family to family. If this is your tradition and we have it wrong, tell us.
Photo credits on this page
The small pictures above come from Wikimedia Commons under free licences. Some are cropped to fit.
- Khadi: Unknown author, Public domain, source