Buying Local

 Buying Local

The politicians don't sound too sure of what they appear to be saying -- buy from your local shops.

The last time I heard this was in the mid 1940s. Gandhi was telling all of us Indians to shun imported goods and buy only from the small retailer, things made in India. We all knew we couldn't defeat the British Raj by our puny push-backs. However, we obeyed.

   It was not difficult to obey. Shopping as a pleasant pastime had never existed in our minds.When a need arose, whether it was for Kirby grips for my short hair or a new bath towel because the old one was in shreds, we asked the master of the house, many times, and eventually we'd get that bath towel, and that Kirby grip. Maybe. Sometimes we tore strips off old rags and tied our hair with that.

   My father and I wore Khadhar  or Khadhi, as it was sometimes called. This material was home-spun and rough and thick. I was never a petite, slim person and the khadhi skirt made me look fat and graceless. But we persevered. My father, slim as an Arecanut tree, looked like a clothes-horse in anything he wore. I clearly did not get my genes in this respect from him.

  Not enough with wearing the damned things, a charkha appeared on our veranda in due course. Accompanied by thin cotton slivers. I was taught to sit down like Gandhi did and spin thread. I never got the hang of it -- my thread got knotted and broke. My father did not do much better. Thankfully, he gave up quite quickly on that.

  Not having money to spare helped. Clothing stores being nearly empty and cloth being rationed during the war years helped. When my father was arrested for being an activist, my fervour increased. The Khadhi habit persisted until I started wearing saris some time when I started College. My father continued, like a few others to the end of his life.

   It may not be much - but we can all do a little to help the local retailer, by buying from the small shops. The supermarkets can look after themselves, but we need to show solidarity with the local butcher, florist, fruit and vegetable vendor... 

   As they say, 'every little helps.'