Jun 21, 2009 11:05 AM
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(Updated Jun 21, 2009 11:28 AM)
"Khadi is the sun of the village solar system.", so said Ghandhiji once. In line with his profound advocacy of Khadi, the Khadi and Village Industries Commission (KVIC), a statutory body established by an Act of Parliament has been promoting the Khadi & home-made industries through its Khadi Gramudyog (KG) outlets in India. The outlets have a wide spread are can be found even in smaller towns.
I've been buying from these outlets for quite some time now and contrary to popular perception, they still have a lot to offer. Here's a look at some of the useful products available at Khadi Gramudyog outlets :-
(1) Khadi & Cotton fabrics - If you are into khadi, I neednt say more. But even for cotton lovers you'll get lots of pastel/earthy colored fabrics which you can get tailored into the most wonderful shirts. KG also retails readymade shirts, Rs.450 onwards I think, though the variety is limited.
(2) Silk - this is where KG is really good. You can get real quality silk at affordable prices. You'll of course need to take the trouble of having 'em stitched. Silk readymade like kurtas are also available, though the designs may be limited & dated. But again they are very good for plain kurtas. KG is a great place to buy silk, provided your city/towns' weather permits use of silk !
(3) Toiletries - This is where KG really throws in the big surprise. Hand made/Herbal soaps of umpteen fragrances ranging Basil scrub through lavender, sandal, mixed fruit, orange, khus, mint and what have you are all sold in 125 gm bars costing Rs.50 only (recently they've raised this to Rs.55 in some outlets). Ladies are you listening, you'll surely be spoilt for choice. Though the fragrance may not be very longlasting, if you like Fabindia soaps, you'll get the same quality there albeit at half the prices. And it doesnt end here. Shampoos, conditioners, creams and other ladies' cosmetics, cant say what, also come in a variety of fragrances at very very reasonable prices.
(4) Leather shoes/sandals - It'll be leather alright even if the designs are rather "downmarket". Shoes and chappals for Rs.400 to 800. At the risk of sounding prudish I'd say there's enough leather on every pair of KG ladies sandals to make 3 or 4 pairs of those string strapped Catwalk/Marie Claire sandals which are, to use a stunning phrase recently borrowed from MS, held together only be imagination.
(5) Handicrafts & Potteries - small collection but useful nonetheless for pottery lovers.
(6) Processed Foods including pickles, jams, squashes, honey & ketchups of good quality made of "unadulterated" material (Umeshji hope you are listening). Nisarg is the brandname under which these are sold.
(7) Agarbattis - how did I forget them. Wonderful collection of agarbattis with exotic & lasting fragrances at prices starting Rs.20 I think.
KG - The Pros
(1) The biggest pro is the purity of all the products sold. The purity/quality is at par with some of the best offered in India
(2) Prices are modest, especially when you compare them with someone like Fabindia.
(3) Ingredients are all natural products which have no side effects, especially for cosmetics & edibles.
(4) They also have promotional sales once in a while in which you can get very good bargains.
KG - The Cons
(1) Most of the KG outlets that I have been to have a rather lengthy process of billing & delivery. The product counter usually gives a voucher which needs to be taken to another counter for endorsement. The payment is actually made on the third counter and delivery on the fourth. So you can rest assured that if you patronise KG, you'll have the satisfaction of giving jobs to a lot of people !
(2) Finishing of products, especially leather products or even clothes is satisfactory but only just. The shirt cuff & collars or the stitching & pasting of leather goods could do with a bit of improvement.
(3) The sales staff is not exactly effusive, to make an understatement. In most of the outlets that I've been to they are not too interested in showing too many things. So you may need to be choosy in asking them to pull out things from shelves.
But to signoff I'd say if you havent been to KG, you're missing a lot !
