Dahod Welcomes PM Modi In Tribal Tradition; Artisan Raced Against Time To Make Jhooladi

 

 

Dahod : On a two-day visit to his home state, Prime Minister Narendra Modi was welcomed to the tribal culture of the Dahod district of Gujarat, where he addressed the audience in tribal attire — turban, jhooladi (coat), silver kandoro (waist belt). Not only Modi, but Union Railway and IT Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw, Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel and other dignitaries were accorded the same welcome, with jhooladi, turban and teer kamath.

 

Jhooladi is a traditional tribal attire, worn by Modi on the dias, after being presented as a gift. Designs like Bharatkaam on Jhooladi are done with sewing machines, excelled by a handful of artisans. Prakash Bhabhor of Dahod is one of such artisans making Jhooladi for a decade. Whenever any special guest visits Dahod, local ministers and leaders order this handicraft for gifting purposes.

 

The cost of making Jhooladi is between Rs 2,500 and 3,000. Soon after getting the order for the Prime Minister's visit, Prakash started racing against time to make Jhooladis as he took just six hours against the usual three days to ready them. Adivasi Samaj Sudharana Mandal encourages artisans like Prakash to keep this unique tribal handicraft alive. Modi flagged off the 9,000 horsepower (HP) electric locomotive, which, the railways ministry says, is the most powerful single-unit electric engine ever developed.

 

Until now, freight locomotives have typically operated at 4,500 or 6,000 HP capacities. While 12,000 HP engines do exist, they are created by coupling two 6,000 HP units," the ministry said in a statement. "In contrast, the Dahod-built locomotive offers a unified, high-powered solution that can haul significantly longer and heavier freight trains with ease," it added. This capacious leap means fewer trips are needed for the same volume of goods, resulting in faster turnaround times, reduced congestion and improved freight efficiency.