Has Gandhism become just T Shirt slogans in Kerala

It’s paradoxical to note that Keralites, who have blatantly shunned Gandhiji’s policies of prohibition, have wholeheartedly endorsed Gandhism in the form of T shirt slogans! Kerala  might hold  the dubious distinction of  having the highest per capita alcohol consumption, but it has not deterred the youth form sporting Gandhiji T shirts. A current fashion rage, these T shirts  on the lines of the  revolutionary Che Guevara T-shirts have become an indispensable item  in the wardrobes of the  Gen-X in cities like Cochin.

Foreign tourists too make it a point to pick up  these T shirts  on their trip to Kerala. Priced around Rs, 400, these T shirts have become runaway hits among the stylish youth of the city. Curiously these T shirts with the image of our father of nation is being supplied by a company in Thailand! The T-shirts have the snapshot of Gandhiji on the front and his famous quotes imprinted on the back. The Kerala youth set an example by popularizing the principles  of Gandhi who guided India to freedom through nonviolent protests. However, abstaining from liquor would have been a more meaningful tribute to the father of the nation, who advocated prohibition as a public policy way back in the 1930s. From the earlier trend of featuring of football icons, sports personalities and  music bands including Metalica and Guns & Rose among others, the fashion  trends have come a full circle by portraying Gandhji as the fashion icon among the youth.