• Panel set up to suggest design and colour
• Clamour grows for traditional Mysore Peta

Mysore/Mysuru: If everything goes well, you will see the guests in newly-designed Khadi attire to present gold medals and confer honorary degrees on students in the next Convocation of University of Mysore (UoM).

A decision to say good-bye to silk/velvet material gown which has been in use for many decades during the annual convocation, was taken at the Syndicate meeting held here yesterday under the Chairmanship of Prof. G. Hemantha Kumar, Vice-Chancellor, UoM.

The meeting held at Crawford Hall unanimously resolved to change the gown wore by guests and members of Academic Council and Syndicate during Convocation. It was also decided to constitute a sub-committee under the Chairmanship of Prof. Jnana Prakash, Registrar (Evaluation) to work in this direction. The VC said the Committee members must visit other Varsities to see the kind of gown being used during convocation, type of cloth, design and colour of gown. A detailed report should be submitted by the panel at the earliest to enable the Varsity to take a decision. However, the Syndicate meeting decided to continue with the tradition of using Mysore Peta during Convocation.

Why Khadi gown?

The University Grants Commission (UGC), which has been extolling the virtues of khadi, has cited Prime Minister Narendra Modi and asked Universities and colleges to use the fabric for ceremonial dresses worn on special occasions.

“The PM has advocated the use of Khadi and also emphasised on the revival of handlooms. Mahatma Gandhi used khadi, a handspun and handloom cloth as a weapon during the struggle for Independence, and hence it is also known as ‘Liveries of Freedom’…the use of khadi and other handloom will not only give a sense of pride of being Indian, but also be more comfortable in hot and humid weather,” the UGC has said in a circular to all the Universities during October, 2019.

Go for traditional Peta

Mysureans, while welcoming the Varsity’s decision to change the ‘British gown’ to Khadi during Convocation, has appealed to the VC to go for traditional Mysore Peta as the current Peta used was not the original one as worn by erstwhile Maharajas.

Responding to reports in media, several SOM readers called to thank Prof. Hemantha Kumar for initiating a step to encourage the dwindling Khadi industry but wanted him to go for authentic and signature style Mysore Peta by going through the pictures of our great Mysore rulers. Plenty of photographs are available in the University and the Mysore Palace to see traditional Mysore Peta. The one which was being used now was not Mysore Peta, they noted.