 The
khadi fabric is synonymous with the father of nation, Gandhiji.
When Bapu, as Gandhi was lovingly called, started weaving khadi
and wore the same, many of his followers adopted khadi as their
dress code. Later the same trend continued with many people
who wanted to be desi in dressing.
Now with the change of time, dress culture has again reverted
to khadi. Be it a political party member, a senior citizen or
a college going youth, khadi has become a fashion statement
among the young and old. Khadi offers a wide range of fabrics
in the form of cotton, wool and silk. These fabrics are good
enough for casual wear, sweaters and saris and are popular.
Village industries sponsored by the Karnataka State Khadi
and Village Industries Board (KSKVIB) play a vital
role in catering to the growing demand for khadi and other products.
They have as many as 380 outlets all over Karnataka where
these products are sold at competitive prices. Bangalorebest.com
spoke to Vittala, manager of a khadi showroom located
at Jasmabhavan road near Cantonment railway station,
Bangalore.
What are the products sold in your showroom?
The product range is wide. Khadi, which comes in three different
fabrics -cotton, silk and wool, forms the bulk of our items.
Then we have food products like pickles, papads, masala powder,
fruit juices, badam malt, honey and other edible oils. We have
leather goods like shoes, slippers, bags, and wallets. We also
have cosmetic items for women like perfume, face powder, soaps.
How are your khadi products priced? Do you offer discounts
on special occasions like national festivals?
The pricing depends on the type of khadi cloth. We sell cotton
at Rs 60 per metre. Woollen materials like shawl would cost
Rs 450 and sweaters are cheap when compared to others. Khadi
silk saris start at Rs 1800.
We offer a discount of 20 to 30 % during Gandhi Jayanthi.
This rebate is totally controlled by the government. The government
is also responsible for the advertisement of khadi and other
products.
 Who
are your customers and how often do they visit the showroom?
Politicians, students (especially college going students) and
ladies come often to shop here. College goers refer one another
and they come here for leather products. Sometimes foreigners
visit our showroom. Our collection of handicrafts usually attracts
them. We have carved sandal and rosewood items. Mantapas, garlands
and other wooden furniture from our collection lure many customers.
Is there any market out side India for these products?
Yes. Our silk materials are exported to London. One person from
a village near Bidar who is into production of sandalwood items,
exhibited his products in our exhibition at Mauritius. Since
then he has got orders for sandal wood pens that attracted many
customers there. Now he is exporting these sandal wood pens
to Thailand, Malaysia and Japan. With khadi making a comeback,
now is the ideal time to invest in that special item of clothing
that will add meaning to your wardrobe.
Click
here to read about KSKVIB and its activities.
| Charan CS
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| Photos by Somashekar DP |
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