New Delhi: Weaving together the historical and sartorial significance of indigo, a special travelling exhibition and a series of curated talks have been lined up by the National Institute of Fashion Technology to mark 100 years of Mahatma Gandhi’s Champaran Satyagraha.
The satyagraha at Champaran was the first one that the Mahatma staged in India. The event would kick off at the NIFT campus in Patna, the city where Gandhi had arrived on April 10, 1917, on way to meet the indigo farmers of Bihar.
“Champaran was the crucible in which the philosophy of civil disobedience was forged on the Indian soil. And, cultivation of indigo was at the centre of the entire movement. So, we thought it was the right occasion to talk about its historical significance.
“But, the story and evolution of indigo is much bigger and deeper. It is not just limited to the 20th century, but harks back even to the Indus Valley civilisation. And, hence we are holding curated ‘Indigo Talks’ on our various campuses,” NIFT director general Sarada Muraleedharan said.
The event would also feature special lectures and workshops to inspire students to work and experiment with indigo dye, natural or artificial. The exhibition will then travel to campuses in Kolkata, Delhi, Jodhpur, Hyderabad and Chennai, director, NIFT Patna, Sanjay Shrivastava said.
