Turban or Topï. A Study of Gandhi's Casteless Khadi in Kathiyawad.

The paper proposes studying the relationship between clothing and identity, particularly between headgear and caste identity in Kathiyawad, Gujarat. Gandhi's khadi left a remarkable impact on fashion and visual communication in India and abroad, becoming a symbol o/the nationalist agenda. This paper explores and discusses the historical role of Gandhi topi in the social movement where caste-based headdresses were replaced with casteless topi. Fashion in social movements stands against clothing that marginalises groups based on hierarchical distinctions; Gandhi's khadi became a political symbol against colonialism, as did the feminist movement, which challenged stereotypes about gender-based dress. The paper concludes that the Khadi and Gandhi topi replaced Kathiyawad's caste-based headdress with the casteless Gandhi topi. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]