INDIGO

A.      Author’s Visit to Gandhi

                                I.            In 1942 in Sevagram, in central India (Maharashtra).

                              II.            There he told how he asserted departure of British    in 1917.

B.      Gandhi at the Annual Convention of Indian National Congress

                                I.            In 1962 in Luckhnow.

                              II.            About 2,301 delegates and many other visitors attended.

                            III.            Rajkumar Shukla came to see Gandhi.

-He was a poor emaciated peasant like any other peasant.

-From Champaran. It was in the foothills of Himalaya and near Nepal.

                            IV.            He came to talk to Gandhi about the sharecroppers’ condition and complain of the injustice done by the landlord system.

C.      Rajkummar Shukla determined to take Gandhi with him

He begged Gandhi to come to his district.

                              V.            But Gandhi had other appointments to attend in Cawnpore and other parts of the country.

                            VI.            Gandhi was impressed with his tenacity (firmness). As he accompanied Gandhi everywhere and to his ashram near Ahmedabad. He remained by his side.

                          VII.            He told Shukla that he would come to Calcutta on a certain date and from there he will accompany him to Champaran.

                        VIII.            Shukla waited intently(sitting on his hunched) in Kolkata until Gandhi was free

                            IX.            Then, they boarded train to Patna

                              X.            Reaching Patna Shukla led Gandhiji to the lawyer Rajendra Prasad’s house.

[ Rajendra Prasad

                                I.            A Lawyer who was dealing with Sharecroppers issue.

                              II.            Later became president of National Congress and India.]

D.      At Rajendra Prasad’s House

                                I.            He was out of station

                              II.            Servants didn’t let them sleep in the house (let them stay on the ground)

                            III.            As they knew Shukla as poor yeoman(gentle farmer)  who pestered (harassed) his master

                            IV.            They thought Gandhi as another peasant

                              V.            Didn’t allow them to draw water from the well doubting them as untouchable.

E.       Gandhi ji’s visit to Muzzafarpur

                                I.            Gandhi decided to go to Muzzafarpur first.

                              II.            It was en route (on the way) to Champaran.

                            III.            They went there to get first-hand information on the peasants condition

                            IV.            According to the plan he sent a telegram to Prof. J. B. Kripalani, teacher at Muzzafarpur Arts College.

                              V.            Whom Gandhi met at Tagore’s Shanti Niketan School.

                            VI.            Their train reached Muzaffarpur at midnight of april 15, 1917

                          VII.             Kripalani was waiting at the station along his students.

                        VIII.            Gandhi stayed in prof. Malkani’s (a teacher in govt. school) house for two days.

                            IX.            He said, “It was an extraordinary thing in those days for a government prof. to provide shelter (harbour) to a man like Gandhi who advocates home-rule (Swaraj)”.

                              X.            As people were scared to support advocates (supporters) of home-rule.

WORKSHEET-1

1.       Who’s the speaker here? Where did he meet Gandhi for the first time?

2.       What information Gandhi passed on to author when he met him for the first time?

3.       When and where was the annual convention of the Indian National Congress? How many delegates came to the conference?

4.       Who was the peasant came to meet Gandhi? Why?

5.       Where is Champaran?

6.       How Rajkumar Shukla impressed Gandhi?

7.       Who’s Rajendra Prassad?

8.       Give an example of cast system prevailed in those days from the chapter.

9.       Why Gandhi decided to go to Muzzafarpur first? Give two reasons.

10.   How Gandhi knew J.B. Kripalani?

11.   Who came to receive Gandhi at the station?

12.   Who is Professor Malkani? Why Gandhi praised him?

13.   Why people were scared to harbour advocates of Home-rule?

F.       People came to meet Gandhi

                                I.            The news of Gandhi’s arrival and his mission spread fast through Muzzaffarpur to Champaran

                              II.            Sharecroppers from Champaran came to see their leader(champion)

                            III.            They came paddling or by conveyance (carriage, transportation)

                            IV.            Lawyers of Muzzaffarpur came to meet Gandhi

                              V.            They told that they often represented peasants in court.

                            VI.            Also told him of high fee they charge to the peasants. At this Gandhi chided (scolded) them.

                          VII.            He said taking cases to court won’t serve any purpose. As peasants were fear-stricken (fear traumatized) and crushed. So, real relief was to make them free from fear itself.

G.     Estates of Champaran & peasants problem

                                I.            All large estates of Champaran belonged to Englishman. They grew commercial crop. (Chiefly ‘Indigo’)

                              II.            Indians are just leaseholders (tenants).

                            III.            According to a long term contract between English landlords and tenants landlords forced tenants to plant indigo in 15% of land they own. And the profits made from that 15% they need to surrender landlords as rent.

                            IV.            Presently landlords learned Germany developed a synthetic Indigo.

                              V.            So, they obtain agreement from the sharecroppers to pay compensation for releasing them from the 15%.

                            VI.            The agreement was irksome (annoying) to the peasants. It displeased them.

                          VII.            Many accepted willingly many resisted and pursued help of lawyers.

                        VIII.            Illiterate farmers (who accepted) learning about it demanded their money back.

                            IX.            During this time Gandhi arrived. He visited secretary of the British Landlords Association to draw information but he rejected to leak any information to an outsider.

                              X.            Then, Gandhi met commissioner of Tirhut division even he bullied (terrorized) Gandhi and asked him to leave Champaran.  But he didn’t leave.

                            XI.            Instead proceeded to Motihari (capital of Champaran).

H.     Gandhi at Motihari

                                I.            Several lawyers accompanied him.

                              II.            Large people greeted Gandhi at the station.

                            III.            Went to a house & used it as headquarter.

                            IV.            From there he started his investigation.

I.        First act of civil disobedience

                                I.            Getting a report of a peasant maltreated (abused) in a nearby village he decided to go and see.

                              II.            But he was driven back by the police superintendent’s messenger.

                            III.            He obeyed (complied) and the messenger drove him back to his home where he served him with an official notice to quit Champaron.

                            IV.            Gandhi wrote on it that he would disobey the order.

                              V.            At this he was summoned (called) to the court.

                            VI.            He was worried and telegraphed Dr Rajendra Prassad to come along his influential friends.

                          VII.            Instructed his ashram and reported viceroy.

                        VIII.            Next morning all peasants of Motihari came to help him. Although they didn’t know of Gandhi and his past (incidents of South Africa).They just knew a Mahatma who wanted to help peasants was in trouble with the authorities.

                              V.            People in thousand crowded around court house.

                            VI.            It was the beginning of people’s liberation from fear.

                          VII.            Officials felt powerless without Gandhi’s help. He helped them to control the crowd. He was polite and friendly.

                        VIII.            He showed the British official that they may be challenged by Indians although till now (hitherto) they were feared (dreaded) and unquestioned.

                            IX.            Government was confused (baffled). Prosecutor (lawyer of accuser) requested to postpone the trial.

                              X.            Consequently (apparently) authorities wished to consult their superiors.

                            XI.            But Gandhi protested against delay.

                          XII.            He read a statement pleading him guilty.

                        XIII.            Also told the court that he didn’t want to set bad example of law breaker.

                        XIV.            But he had come to solidify the “humanitarian and national service”.

                          XV.            He disregarded the order to leave not because he wanted to disobey law but because he wanted to obey a higher law, law of conscience. 

                        XVI.            He asked for the penalty.

                      XVII.            Judge announced the judgement will be passed after recess

                    XVIII.            He directed Gandhi ji to furnish bail for those 120 minutes.

                        XIX.            Gandhi refused. But the judge had to release him without bail.

                          XX.            The judge said he won’t deliver judgement for several days. Till then Gandhi was free.

                        XXI.            Rajendra Prassad, Brij Kishor Babu, Maulana Mazharul Haq and several other prominent lawyers arrived from Bihar.

                      XXII.            They discussed what would be the consequent if he will be jailed. They won’t have anyone to guide.

                    XXIII.            But Gandhi insisted on continuing the struggle to defend sharecroppers’ interest.

                    XXIV.            Lawyers held a separate meeting.

                      XXV.            They decided to help Gandhi in his struggle.

                    XXVI.            They thought despite of being stranger Gandhi was ready to go to jail. In that case if they won’t it would be an act of shame. They too decided to follow Gandhi to jail.

                  XXVII.            Gandhi noted their names on a piece of paper.

                XXVIII.            Divided the group into pairs putting down the order in which each pairs was to be arrested.

                    XXIX.            Several days later Gandhi received an order from magistrate informing that the lieutenant governor of the province have ordered to drop the case.

                      XXX.            It set the example of the success of first civil disobedient movement.

Worksheet-2

1.       What was the reaction of people when they learnt of Gandhi’s advent?

2.       Why Gandhi chided lawyers?

3.       Why Gandhi came to the conclusion that they should stop going to law courts?

4.       What  were the terms of the indigo contract between British landlords and peasants?

5.       What new problem sharecroppers were facing?

6.       How the commissioner of Tirhut division did received Gandhi? How Gandhi responded and where did he go?

7.       Why did Gandhi tell the court that he was involved in a conflict of duties?

8.       Who were the lawyers came to help Gandhi?

J.        Formation of Commission of Inquiry

                                I.            Now lawyers proceeded to conduct an inquiry of peasants’ grievance (complaint).

                              II.            Outlook of about ten thousand peasants were noted and evidential documents were collected.

                            III.            Whole area throbbed (vibrated) with the activity of the investigators. And vehement (heated) protest of the landlords.

                            IV.            In June Gandhi was summoned to Sir Edward Gait, the lieutenant-governor.

                              V.            Before leaving Gandhi met his associates and made detailed plans for civil disobedience in case he wouldn’t return.

                            VI.            He had four lengthy interviews with governor.

                          VII.            As a result he appointed a commission of inquiry into the Indigo sharecroppers’ situation.

                        VIII.            The commission consisted of the landlords, government official and Gandhi as only representative of the peasants.

K.      Inquiry commissions’ report and its consequences

                                I.            Gandhi remained in Champaran for seven months and he made several short visits.

                              II.            The official enquiry revealed evidence against the estate planters.

                            III.            By seeing the inquiry report they agreed to refund the peasants. Gandhi demanded only 50%

                            IV.            He remained resolute. Finding him adamant (stubborn) they offered 25%.

                              V.            Gandhi at once agreed for that.

L.       Building peasants courage

                                I.            Later he explained money was less important than the fact that landlords had to surrender the money which had become their prestige issue.

                              II.            Peasants now saw they have rights and defenders. They got courage.

                            III.            Within a period planters abandoned their estates which were given back to the peasants. And indigo sharecropping disappeared.

M.    Dealing social and cultural problems

                                I.            Gandhiji never contented himself only in political and economic solutions.

                              II.            He saw social and cultural backwardness of Champaran villages and wanted to do something about it immediately.

                            III.            Several teachers like Mahadev Desai and Narahari Parikh and two young men had joined Gandhi as disciple.

                            IV.            Their wives volunteered to work.

                              V.            Several more came from other parts of the country like Poona, Bombay etc.

                            VI.            They were joined by Devdas, Gandhi’s youngest son and Mrs Gandhi.

                          VII.            Primary schools were opened in six villages.

                        VIII.            Kasturbai taught Ashram’s rule of cleanliness and community sanitation.

                            IX.            Even health condition was measurable.

                              X.            Gandhi got a doctor to volunteer to work there for six months.

                            XI.            Medicines like castor oil, quinine and sulphur ointment were made available to the people suffering from coated tongue (bacteria infected tongue that look white), Malaria and skin diseases.

                          XII.            He noticed women of the village wearing dirty cloths & asked Kasturba to talk to them.

                        XIII.            Even while living in Champaran he kept contacting Ashram and advised them through mail..

                        XIV.            Champaran episode was a turning point in his life.

                          XV.            He declared British can’t order me what should he do in his own country.

                        XVI.            Although Champaran didn’t begin as an act of disobedience.

                      XVII.            It was started as an act to remove distress of poor peasants.

N.     Building self-reliance

                                I.            Gandhi’s politics was intertwined with practical day-to-day problems of the millions.

                              II.            Through everything he tried to build a new Indian who could stand on his feet and thus could make a free India.

                            III.            Early in the Champaran episode an English pacifist (one who opposes war) came to bid him farewell before to a tour of duty to Fiji islands. Lawyers thought it as good idea if Andrew would stay in Champaran & help them.  Even Andrew was interested but Gandhi opposed thinking it would show a weakness of heart in their part. The cause was just to build self-reliance.

                            IV.            Self-reliance, Indian independence and sharecroppers were all bound together. 

Worksheet-3

1.       Who were the members of commission of inquiry?

2.       What was the decision taken?

3.       What was Gandhi’s demand? Why did Gandhi agree to 25%?

4.       How Gandhi worked for the social and cultural development of Champaran?

5.       Why did Gandhi opposed when his friend Andrew wanted to stay in Champaran and help peasants?

6.       How Gandhi tried to alleviate distressed peasants?

7.       How did he try to build poor peasants’ self-reliance?