Mahatma Gandhi had a special place for the province of Orissa. Between 1921 and 1946 he visited Orissa eight times.

Mahatma Gandhi wanted to emphasize the oppressive economic policies of the British foreign rule that were crippling the local production and depriving Indians of their livelihood. Since 1917 he had been encouraging people to spin their own cotton yarn for clothing requirements and reject foreign dress material as part of civil disobedience.