About This Work

The Spinning Wheel was invented in India, between 500 and 1000 C.E. The tabletop or floor CHARKHA is one of the oldest known forms of the spinning wheel. The CHARKHA works similarly to the great wheel, with a drive wheel being turned by hand, while the yarn is spun off the tip of the spindle.

The word CHARKHA which has links with Persian چرخ: charKh, wheel, is related to the word “circle”. The charkha was both a tool and a symbol of the Indian independence movement. Mahatma Gandhi brought the charkha into wider use with his teachings. He hoped the charkha would assist the people of India achieve self-sufficiency and independence, and therefore used the charkha as a symbol of the Indian independence movement and included it on earlier versions of the Flag of India.