Bundeli Khadi and Cotton Handloom Tradition of Sagar

Sagar was an active centre of Khadi spinning and weaving during the Independence movement, with Gandhi visiting the city and activating the local spinning wheel movement. The Khadi Gramodyog Samiti established in 1921 continues to operate in Sagar, producing handspun handwoven cotton cloth. Bundeli cotton weaving predates the Khadi movement: local weavers produced coarse cotton for agricultural use — dhotis, saris, and turban cloth — on standing frame looms. The distinctive Bundeli turban weaving uses a tightly twisted warp that gives the finished cloth extra strength for the elaborate tying styles of the region. Post-Independence Khadi production integrated these traditional skills with spinning wheel standardisation. Sagar Khadi Bhandar sells locally woven fabric to an urban market that values both the Independence movement heritage and the tactile quality of handspun cloth.