Gandhigram, Tamil Nadu’s pioneering rural development institution located in Dindigul, has long championed cottage industries, handloom weaving and sustainable village enterprises as pathways to rural self-sufficiency. Now, it is bringing its handcrafted heritage to the city with a two-day summer pop-up titled Magic of Khadi on April 10 and 11 at CP Arts Centre, Eldams Road, Alwarpet.
The pop-up will showcase a curated range of hand-spun textiles, everyday clothing and village industry products, all crafted by skilled artisans at Gandhigram.
The event offers Chennai residents an opportunity to discover and purchase authentic Khadi products while also engaging with the idea of self-reliance and sustainable living that Gandhigram stands for.
Alongside the exhibition, Gandhigram will also host an eco-print workshop on both days. The workshop invites participants to create natural prints on fabric using real leaves and flowers.
Open to those aged eight and above, with no prior experience required, the session is priced at Rs 750 per person, including materials. Multiple sessions will be held across the two days, and slots are limited.
“Eco-printing is a technique where we use natural pigments from leaves, flowers, and bark to transfer colours directly onto fabric, creating unique prints. We use materials like guava leaves, rose petals, marigold flowers and eucalyptus leaves.
The fabric is treated, the leaves and flowers are arranged on it and then it is steamed so the colours transfer onto the fabric,” says Aditi Jain, textile designer at Gandhigram.