The demand for khadi has increased with the elections nearing and shops are selling a variety of items.
Campaigning has gained momentum, but the sweltering heat has made it very tiresome, as the candidates and the campaigners have to sweat it out under the hot sun. This has forced them to wear light clothes, preferably made hand-woven pristine white khadi kurtas, pyjamas and dhotis, though the demand for Nehru caps is moderate.
Shopkeepers selling khadi in the city for the past one month and workers of various political parties have been frequenting their shops seeking khadi.
The handmade khadi keeps the body cool in summer.
The white cotton variety is more in demand than the silk, woollen or any other variety. The price for a metre of white khadi cloth ranges from `140 to `350.
Khadi Gramodyoga Bhandar, which has three branches in Mysore, is doing booming business. Manager Vasu said the demand for khadi clothes has gone up this summer and felt that the increase was mainly due to elections. “Khadi is a breathable material and very comfortable to wear. No machines are used to weave it,” Vasu added.
Private khadi store owner R Bhaskar said the number of buyers increased by 30 per cent compared to last year.