Gandhiji's Vision for the Charkha: A Philosophical Foundation for Innovation
Vijay Tambe
Secretary , Sevagram Ashram Pratishthan Wardha
A group of high-level technicians gathered in Wardha with the objective of improving the model of the charkha, a traditional spinning wheel used to produce khadi fabric made from hand-spun yarn.
Currently, most of the operators of the Ambar charkha across the country are elderly women. Young women or men are not attracted to this work because the maximum daily wage that can be earned by operating the Ambar charkha is around ₹350. To attract more young people to this work, they need to be paid at least 25-35% more than the current wage. If higher wages are to be paid, then production needs to increase by at least 40%. The main reason for wanting to attract young people is that unemployment has increased enormously in both urban and rural areas. Although this effort may be seen as a palliative measure to prevent an explosion of unemployment, it is still worth welcoming.
Scientific research is a purely intellectual creative endeavor, but technological progress requires a philosophical or ideological foundation. In 1929, Gandhiji laid down important criteria for the production of Charkhas while announcing a design Competition of Charkha of One Lakh Rupees or 7700 Pounds Prize on behalf of Akhila Bharatiya Charkhaa Sangh Worker's Samiti .They were as follows:
The Criteria
" Charkha must be light-weighted, easy to move, and it should be in such a way so as to be operated using either hand or one's leg in a natural way in the rural cottages of India.
It must be in such a way that a lady shall be able to work with it for eight hours at a stretch without great effort put in.
Either Charkhas must have a build to accommodate the use of a puni (used to make handspun cloth) or along with the charkha there must be a way to handspun cloth.
On working with the charkha for eight hours at a continuous stretch - it should result in 12 to 20 numbers of 16000 feet yarn.
The machine should be so designed such that it costs no more than Rs. 150 in producing it in India only.
The machine should be strong and well-made and with time-to-time servicing it should be capable of running for at least 20 years without any stopping. Servicing of the machine should not cost much and every year not more than 5% of the cost of the machine that year shall be needed for servicing."
The reasons why Gandhiji wanted to produce charkhas can be found in these criteria, which form the ideological basis of the charkha as a machine. Without studying this and understanding the fundamental philosophical base of khadi production, if the charkha is converted into a modern commercial productive machine, the essence of the charkha will be lost, and it will become just another ordinary machine like others.
There is no need to insist that khadi yarn should be extremely fine and uniform. The principle of "unity in diversity" applies perfectly to khadi. The charkha and handloom in each region are different, and the production of yarn in each region is unique. This is the beauty of khadi. Uniformity and fineness of yarn are not the only criteria. The variations in yarn are a part of its charm. There is a risk that through standardization, we may lose the beauty and uniqueness of our textile culture.
Those technologists who want to improve the Ambar charkha need to familiarize themselves with our textile culture and understand the philosophical background of khadi production. Most importantly, during research, it is essential to work alongside traditional spinners for at least two months, eight hours a day.
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