GANDHI JAYANTI GREETINGS IN KHADI: A HANDMADE COMMEMORATIVE TRIBUTE
Commemorative Gandhi Jayanti greeting booklet crafted in khadi cloth, incorporating a portrait of Mahatma Gandhi and a handwritten Gandhian moral reflection in Hindi with English translation beneath. India, 1945.
Handmade folding commemorative khadi booklet with printed title “Gandhi Jayanti Greetings”, from Anand Hingorani, dated 1945, to the exterior cover in red. The interior comprises a mounted photographic portrait of Gandhi on the left panel and a handwritten quotation in Hindi on the opposing panel, signed “M. K. Gandhi” in facsimile/printed form beneath the English translation which reads, “The more I think, the more I realise that man himself is the cause of his own suffering and misery. " Khadi textile cover with decorative hand-cut or block-printed ornamental borders surrounding both interior panels.
Open dimensions: 2.8 x 8.2 (7.11 x 20.82 cm)
Closed dimensions: 2.8 x 4 in (7.11 x 10.16 cm)
A MESSAGE STITCHED IN KHADI: Gandhi Jayanti in the Hingorani Archive
A rare and exceptionally evocative handmade Gandhi Jayanti commemorative booklet produced in khadi during the final years of India’s independence movement, combining textile craft, devotional imagery, moral philosophy, and nationalist symbolism within an intimate, portable format.
Crafted in 1945 by Anand T Hingorani for the celebration of Gandhi Jayanti, the work reflects the deeply personal relationship between the Hingorani family and Mahatma Gandhi. Unlike commercially printed greeting cards or later commemorative souvenirs, the present object belongs to a far more intimate Gandhian material tradition, where simplicity of form itself carried ideological meaning.
The exterior cover is executed entirely in handwoven khadi cloth–the homespun textile elevated by Gandhi into the defining symbol of Swadeshi, self-reliance, economic resistance, and ethical labour. The visibly coarse weave, irregular handspun texture, and restrained red typography preserve the tactile honesty associated with Gandhian aesthetics. Printed diagonally across the front cover appears the title “Gandhi Jayanti Greetings", accompanied by the date "1945", while the lower section bears the elegant cursive inscription “Anand Hingorani", linking the object directly to one of Gandhi’s closest associates and disciples.
When opened, the booklet reveals a carefully balanced devotional presentation. The left interior panel contains a sepia-toned mounted photographic portrait of Gandhi seated informally while writing – an intimate image emphasising contemplation, discipline, and intellectual labour rather than political spectacle. The photograph is framed within a decorative scalloped border, likely hand-cut or block-printed, reinforcing the handmade vernacular character of the object.
Facing the portrait is a mounted panel bearing a handwritten moral reflection in Hindi, accompanied below by an English translation reading:
“The more I think, the more I realise that man himself is the cause of his own suffering and misery.”
Beneath appears the signature “M. K. Gandhi". The juxtaposition of portrait, handwriting, khadi, and devotional presentation transforms the booklet into something more profound than commemorative ephemera. It becomes an embodiment of Gandhian philosophy itself–simplicity in material, introspection in message, and moral self-examination as a pathway towards social transformation.
Particularly significant is the integration of textile craft into the structure of the object. During the freedom movement, khadi was not treated merely as cloth but as a political instrument and ethical practice. By producing the booklet in khadi rather than paper boards or industrial wrappers, Anand Hingorani effectively merged the message of Gandhi with the physical material most closely associated with his ideology.
The intimate scale further suggests personal circulation rather than public commercial distribution. Objects of this nature were often exchanged within Gandhian circles, ashram communities, and close associates during commemorative occasions such as Gandhi Jayanti. Very few survive today, particularly with such strong personal associations and preserved provenance.
The present work, therefore, occupies an important position within the material culture of India’s independence movement – situated simultaneously between devotional object, nationalist artefact, handmade artist book, and personal memorial tribute.
This lot will be shipped in "as is" condition. For further details, please refer to the images of individual lots as a reference for the condition of each lot.
Commemorative Gandhi Jayanti greeting booklet crafted in khadi cloth, incorporating a portrait of Mahatma Gandhi and a handwritten Gandhian moral reflection in Hindi with English translation beneath. India, 1945.
Handmade folding commemorative khadi booklet with printed title “Gandhi Jayanti Greetings”, from Anand Hingorani, dated 1945, to the exterior cover in red. The interior comprises a mounted photographic portrait of Gandhi on the left panel and a handwritten quotation in Hindi on the opposing panel, signed “M. K. Gandhi” in facsimile/printed form beneath the English translation which reads, “The more I think, the more I realise that man himself is the cause of his own suffering and misery. " Khadi textile cover with decorative hand-cut or block-printed ornamental borders surrounding both interior panels.
Open dimensions: 2.8 x 8.2 (7.11 x 20.82 cm)
Closed dimensions: 2.8 x 4 in (7.11 x 10.16 cm)
A MESSAGE STITCHED IN KHADI: Gandhi Jayanti in the Hingorani Archive
A rare and exceptionally evocative handmade Gandhi Jayanti commemorative booklet produced in khadi during the final years of India’s independence movement, combining textile craft, devotional imagery, moral philosophy, and nationalist symbolism within an intimate, portable format.
Crafted in 1945 by Anand T Hingorani for the celebration of Gandhi Jayanti, the work reflects the deeply personal relationship between the Hingorani family and Mahatma Gandhi. Unlike commercially printed greeting cards or later commemorative souvenirs, the present object belongs to a far more intimate Gandhian material tradition, where simplicity of form itself carried ideological meaning.
The exterior cover is executed entirely in handwoven khadi cloth–the homespun textile elevated by Gandhi into the defining symbol of Swadeshi, self-reliance, economic resistance, and ethical labour. The visibly coarse weave, irregular handspun texture, and restrained red typography preserve the tactile honesty associated with Gandhian aesthetics. Printed diagonally across the front cover appears the title “Gandhi Jayanti Greetings", accompanied by the date "1945", while the lower section bears the elegant cursive inscription “Anand Hingorani", linking the object directly to one of Gandhi’s closest associates and disciples.
When opened, the booklet reveals a carefully balanced devotional presentation. The left interior panel contains a sepia-toned mounted photographic portrait of Gandhi seated informally while writing – an intimate image emphasising contemplation, discipline, and intellectual labour rather than political spectacle. The photograph is framed within a decorative scalloped border, likely hand-cut or block-printed, reinforcing the handmade vernacular character of the object.
Facing the portrait is a mounted panel bearing a handwritten moral reflection in Hindi, accompanied below by an English translation reading:
“The more I think, the more I realise that man himself is the cause of his own suffering and misery.”
Beneath appears the signature “M. K. Gandhi". The juxtaposition of portrait, handwriting, khadi, and devotional presentation transforms the booklet into something more profound than commemorative ephemera. It becomes an embodiment of Gandhian philosophy itself–simplicity in material, introspection in message, and moral self-examination as a pathway towards social transformation.
Particularly significant is the integration of textile craft into the structure of the object. During the freedom movement, khadi was not treated merely as cloth but as a political instrument and ethical practice. By producing the booklet in khadi rather than paper boards or industrial wrappers, Anand Hingorani effectively merged the message of Gandhi with the physical material most closely associated with his ideology.
The intimate scale further suggests personal circulation rather than public commercial distribution. Objects of this nature were often exchanged within Gandhian circles, ashram communities, and close associates during commemorative occasions such as Gandhi Jayanti. Very few survive today, particularly with such strong personal associations and preserved provenance.
The present work, therefore, occupies an important position within the material culture of India’s independence movement – situated simultaneously between devotional object, nationalist artefact, handmade artist book, and personal memorial tribute.
This lot will be shipped in "as is" condition. For further details, please refer to the images of individual lots as a reference for the condition of each lot.