An ode to Gandhi

Given the compactness of the store,

its interiors are as simple as they can be. The sight of a lifelike statue of Mahatma Gandhi greets you as you walk into the store. Made out of fibreglass,the statue,we are told,has been made in Thailand by an artist couple. However,the storekeepers stay true to the khadi culture,clad as they are in khadi waistcoat attire.

The products on offer vary from paperweights,key chains,mugs,watches and clocks to recycled notepads,pens,bookmarks,calendars,cotton t-shirts and of course,khadi kurtas. A common thread running through all the products is the logo of Eternal Gandhi and Shashvat Gandhi (in Hindi). Designed by Prakash Deshpande,a renowned art director of yesteryears,the logo reads out the message of non-violence as bravery at its peak; so you have an Ahmisa magnet vie for attention along with a Gandhi crystal cube and a

ceramic Gandhi statue.

Also worth a mention is the book Eternal Gandhi: Design of the Multimedia Museum. Authored by Ranjit Makkuni,the book throws light on the age-old Gandhian values and traditions. The book is available only at the Eternal Gandhi stores across the country.

This apart,the Three Wise Monkeys,who ‘see no evil,hear no evil and speak no evil’,figure as a prominent theme as well. Priced within a range of

Rs 100-Rs 2,000,it goes without saying that the souvenirs are attractively priced. But this in turn makes one question the idea behind the international airport location as that means targeting only the international fliers and losing out on the other clientèle which could have easily lapped up the cost-friendly souvenirs.

The store could also do better in terms of catering to the kids as it barely houses any children-friendly products,barring the pens,notepads and the keychains. Given the Gandhi connect,the potential to develop kids’ friendly products is immense and one would wish to see a wider variety in that segment.

Lastly,perhaps the most interesting observation of all is the fact that most of the products (exception being the khadi kurtas) have been manufactured abroad (read: Hong Kong,Spain and China).

One wonders how Gandhi,the man who pioneered the Swadeshi movement,would react to that.