INDIGO

Louis Fischer

Gandhi urged the return of Britishers from India. This movement started in 1917 when an illiterate peasant, Raj
Kumar Shukla approached Gandhi to ask him to solve the problem of the poor peasants of Champaran.

Sequence of Events

 The Champaran Peasants

 Raj Kumar Shukla shared with Gandhi the miseries of the people of Champaran. He termed the
landlord system in Bihar gravely unjust and wanted Gandhi to help the poor peasants.
 Shuklas Tenacity, Persistence, Resolve, Determination
 Shukla visited Gandhi in Lucknow and then in Cawnpore. He was told that Gandhi was scheduled
to visit other places in the coming days. Shukla patiently followed him everywhere. Gandhi agreed
to accompany him to Champaran after his Calcutta visit.
 Rajendra Prasad's House at Patna
 Gandhi wished to meet Rajendra Prasad, a lawyer who later became the president of the Indian
National Congress. But the meeting did not take place as he was out of town,
 Gandhi then left for Muzzaffarpur to gather more information. Lawyers briefed Gandhi on the case
and were chided by him for collecting high fees from the peasants. Gandhi decided to free the poor
farmers from fear.
 Ancient Settlement
 Large Indian estates were owned by the Britishers who had put a compulsion on the Indian tenants
to grow indigo in 15% land. Farmers were deprived of the indigo harvest. The entire indigo
produce was taken as rent.
 German Synthetic Indigo
 Landlords did not want the indigo produce anymore as the coming of synthetic indigo reduced
natural crop cheap. The landlords released them from ancient agreement but charged compensation
for it. Some peasants signed the agreement willingly, some engaged lawyers to resist it. When the
news of the synthetic indigo reached the peasants, they wanted their money back.
 Official Notice to Gandhi
 Gandhi was ordered to leave Champaran. He took the order but signed his refusal. He was
summoned to appear in the court the next day. Rajendra Prasad arrived with influential friends.
Peasants came in thousands and the Britishers had to take Gandhi''s help to regulate the crowd.
 Gandhi’’s Reason for Disobedience
 Gandhi disobeyed not to break law but to render humanitarian and national service. He professed
that he did not have any disrespect for law but for greater respect for the voice of conscience.
 Triumph of Civil Disobedience
 Gandhi proceeded to gather testimonies about grieving farmers. The Lt. Governor appointed a
commission of inquiry comprising landlords, government officials and Gandhi as the sole
representative of farmers.
 British planters Defeated
 When heaps of evidences were collected against landlords, they agreed to refund the money but
only 25% of it. They had assumed that Gandhi would not come down from his demand of 50%.
Surprisingly Gandhi agreed to 25% as he believed that refund did not matter but that the landlords
had to surrender their prestige. This victory of peasants brought courage in them. Later on the
estate holders left their holdings and the land reverted to the peasants.
 Social, Cultural upliftment of Champaran
 To improve cultural and social lot of the people Gandhi sought volunteers for teaching. His own
family including wife and son volunteered. Primary Schools were opened and hygiene and health
was taken care of. His politics comprised day to day problems.
 Chamaparan, a Turning Point
 Gandhi had learnt that he could not be ordered about in his own country.
 Peasants had learnt courage and also the fact that he could fight for his rights.
 Self-Reliance
 Charles Freer Andrew's, a pacifist and a devout disciple of Gandhi came to bid him farewell. The
lawyer friends urged him to stay on in Champaran for the support of Indians. But Gandhi was
against the proposal as he wanted the Indians to face the crisis on their own.
 The Indian peasants learnt self-reliance and courage
 Extra Questions

1. What was the positive quality about Rajkumar Shukla? How did he benefit from this quality

2. What proves that Gandhi was an unknown figure in Patna?

3. Why was the government servants scared to be acquainted with a person like Gandhi?

4. What was the first instance of achieving freedom from fear by the peasant community?

5. What made the lawyers shamefaced before Gandhi?

6 Narrate how the civil disobedience became a triumph for the first time?

7 Why did Gandhi agree to 25% refund when his actual demand was for 50%?

8 What qualities was he able to make in the Indians by the Champaran episode?

9 Why did he feel that help from the foreigner Mr. Andrews was unnecessary?

10 Why does he entrust teachers rather than politicians to make changes in the society?

Long Answer Questions

1. To think differently is a challenging job but ultimate victory comes to those who are not the
usual run of the mill. In what way is this true of Gandhi in the lesson Indigo?

2. Freedom from fear is more important than legal justice for the poor “how does he bring home
this point in this lesson? State whether Indians have attained freedom from fear even in this post
independence era-justify your answer?

3. What are the qualities of a good leader as portrayed by Gandhi in the lesson Indigo?