How The Takli Fought For India's Freedom

The machine gun of India's non-violence movement... #TBT

Transcript

00:00Here is the machine gun of the non-violence movement in India and the key to independence.

00:16It is known as Takli, a substitute for the spinning wheel for those who are moving about

00:25and are unable to devote the time required for the spinning wheel.

00:30It costs but one cent and can be conveniently carried about

00:36so that each spare moment while talking with friends or travelling or listening to lectures can be devoted to spinning.

00:48Here is my cotton for spinning yarn.

00:52Cotton is grown, cleaned and supplied in India by Indian labour.

01:00Spinning is very easy and can be learned by anyone, even a child in a few days.

01:08If a man works at Takli, during his spare moment, about four hours per day,

01:18he will be able to spin four hundred yards of yarn,

01:23which is sufficient to supply his own clothing consisting of his cap, his shirt and his dhoti.

01:34If he spends an extra hour a day on spinning,

01:39he will be able to supply yarn for those who are unable to spin

01:44and thus eliminate the purchasing of foreign cloth.