Mahatma Gandhi (1869-1948)–Mahatma means Great Soul–was India’s political and spiritual leader, a law scholar trained at the Inner Temple in in London and a nationalist who led the country to independence from British-ruled India. Through his philosophy of nonviolent civil disobedience, he committed his life to recognition of the individual’s right to dignity; he fought especially against the social damage wrought by industrial revolution and trade embargoes.
His inspiration and example was for communities to work together to create hand worked textiles, from the planting to the harvesting, spinning, weaving and making up, so helping themselves out of poverty and restoring the commercial balance. The hand worked cloth is called Khadi, the production is supported and sold by Government outlest thoughout India
From the Bhagavad vita .Ch 10, and the respect and even reverence for the way he handled himself and his country.
…These natures spring from me!
Intellect, skill, enlightenment, endurance, self-control,
Truthfulness, equability, and grief or joy of soul,
And birth and death, and fearfulness
And fearlessness, and shame,
And honour, and sweet harmlessness, and peace
Which is the same…
Harmlessness – is Ahimsa, the attitude to non violence, which ideal is now applied to traditional silk production that protects the silk worm and above to try to change cultured silk production to do the same.