Indigo
Nur Jamal Sk, KCM Academy, Goalpara
Each question carries 1 mark
1. Who is the writer of the prose piece
‘Indigo’?
Ans: The writer of the prose piece ‘Indigo’ is
Louis Fischer
2. Which book has been reviewed as one of
the best books ever written on Gandhi by
Times Educational Supplement?
Ans: The Life of Mahatma Gandhi.
3. From which book ‘Indigo’ is extracted?
Ans: The Life of Mahatma Gandhi.
4. When did Louis Fischer visit Gandhi in
Sevagram?
Ans: Louis Fischer visited Gandhi in
Sevagram in 1942.
5. ‘When I first visited Gandhi in 1942 at his
ashram in Sevagram’. Who had visited?
Ans: Louis Fischer had visited Gandhi in 1942
at his ashram in Sevagram.
2. When was Indian National Congress
Session held?
Ans: Indian National Congress Session was
held in 1916.
3. Where was Indian National Congress
Session held?
Ans: In Lucknow.
How many delegates were present in the
annual convention of Indian National
Congress Party?
Ans: 2301 delegates were present in the annual
convention of Indian National Congress Party.
4. Who was Rajkumar Shukla?
Ans: Rajkumar Shukla was a poor and
illiterate peasant from Champaran.
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5. Where was Rajkumar Shukla from?
Ans: Rajkumar Shukla was from Champaran.
What did Rajkumar Shukla want Mahatma
Gandhi to do?
Ans: Rajkumar Shukla wanted Mahatma
Gandhi to go his district.
6. Where was Champaran situated?
Ans: Champaran was situated in the foothills
of the towering Himalayas, near the kingdom
of Nepal.
7. What kind of person was Rajkumar
Shukla?
Ans: Rajkumar Shukla was illiterate but he
was resolute.
8. Why did Rajkumar Shukla visit Indian
National Congress Session?
Ans: Rajkumar Shukla visited Indian National
Congress Session to complain about the
injustice of the landlord system in Bihar.
9. What was the present name of
Cawnpore?
Ans: The present name of Cawnpore is
Kanpur.
From Calcutta, where were Rajkumar
Shukla and Mahatma Gandhi boarding to?
Ans: From Calcutta Rajkumar Shukla and
Mahatma were Gandhi boarding to Patna,
Bihar.
Where did Mahatma Gandhi stay in Patna?
Ans: Mahatma Gandhi stayed in the house of
Rajendra Prasad in Patna.
10. Who was Rajendra Prasad?

Ans: Rajendra Prasad was the president of
Congress party as well as he was the first
Indian president.
11. Why did the servants of Rajendra
Prasad house take Gandhi as a peasant?
Ans: The servants of Rajendra Prasad house
took Gandhi to be an another peasant because
Gandhi dressed in a simple way as well as he
went with the peasant named Rajkumar
Shukla.
12. Why did the servants of Rajendra
Prasad house think Gandhi as an
untouchable?
Ans: The servants of Rajendra Prasad house
thought Gandhi as an untouchable because
Gandhi dressed in a simple way as well as he
went with the peasant named Rajkumar
Shukla.
13. Why was Gandhi not allowed to draw
water from well?
Ans: Gandhi wasn’t allowed to draw water
from well because the servants thought him as
an untouchable.
14. Who is the author of ‘Indigo’?
Ans: Louis Fischer.
15. “When I first visited Gandhi in 1942 at
his ashram in Sevagram”. Who is the ‘I’
here?
Ans: The author Louis Fischer.
16. Why did Gandhi decide to go to
Muzzafarpur?
Ans: Gandhi decided to go to Muzzafarpur to
obtain more complete information about
conditions than Shukla was capable of
imparting. And it was an enroute to
Chamaparan.
17. Who was J.B. Kripalani?
Ans: J.B. Kripalani was a professor of the arts
college in Muzzafarpur.
Prepared by: Nur Jamal Sk, English teacher, Kalpana Chawla Memorial Academy Sr. Sec. School, Goalpara.
Nur Jamal Sk, KCM Academy, Goalpara
Website: literaturefoundation.blogspot.com
Mobile: 7002091268
18. Who was Professor Malkani?
Ans: Professor Malkani was a teacher in
government school.
19. For how many days, Gandhi stayed at
the house of Professor Malkani?
Ans: For two days.
20. Why did Gandhi chide the lawyers?
Ans: Gandhi chided the lawyers for collecting
big fee from the poor peasants.
21. How much percentage of indigo crop are
compelled to provide to landlords?
Ans: Three twenties or 15 percent.
22. Why did the landlords want to release
the peasants from 15 percent indigo?
Ans: The landlords wanted to release the
peasants from 15 percent indigo because they
presently learned that Germany had developed
synthetic indigo.
23. Where is Tirhut division situated?
Ans: In Champaran.
24. Where is Motihari capital situated?
Ans: In Champaran.
25. Why did the British officials feel
powerless?
And: The British officials felt powerless
without Gandhi's cooperation because the
town of Motihari block was crowded by
peasants.
26. Who had exclaimed that ‘the
Champaran battle is won’?
Ans: M.K. Gandhi had exclaimed that ‘the
Champaran battle is won’
27. Who was Sir Edward Gait?
Ans: Sir Edward Gait was a Lieutenant
Governor.

28. How many days did Gandhi stay at
Chamaran?
Ans: Gandhi remained in Chamaran for an
initial uninterrupted period of seven months
and then again for several shorter visits.
29. Who was Devadas?
Ans: Devadas was Gandhi’s youngest son.
30. Who was Kasturbai?
Ans: Kasturbai was Gandhi’s wife.
31. What were the three medicines
available?
Ans: The three medicines available were
castor oil, quinine and sulphur ointment.
32. Who was Charles Freer Andrews?
Ans: Charles Freer Andrews was an English
pacifist who had become a devoted follower of
Mahatma Gandhi.
33. Why did Gandhi oppose Charles Freer
Andrews to stay at Champaran?
Ans: Gandhi thought that staying Charles
Freer Andrews at Champaran shows the
weakness of their heart.
34. Strike out which is not true?
a. Rajkumar Shukla was a
i. Sharecropper
ii. politician
iii. delegate
iv. landlord
Ans: ii, iii and iv are not true.
b. Rajkumar Shukla was
i. poor
taken by Shukla, the servants took him to be
another peasant. So, they let them stay on grounds
and Gandhi was not allowed to draw water from
well thinking him as an untouchable.
Prepared by: Nur Jamal Sk, English teacher, Kalpana Chawla Memorial Academy Sr. Sec. School, Goalpara.
Nur Jamal Sk, KCM Academy, Goalpara
Website: literaturefoundation.blogspot.com
Mobile: 7002091268
ii. physically strong
iii. illiterate
Ans: ii is not true.
Each question carries 2 marks
1. Why is Rajkumar Shukla described as being
resolute?
Ans: Rajkumar Shukla was a peasant from
Champaran. He wanted Gandhi to come to his
district. At that time Gandhiji was very busy.
Even after being told that Gandhi had an
appointment in Cawnpore and other parts of India,
he never left Gandhi’s side. He accompanied him
everywhere. Therefore, he had been described as
resolute.
2. How was Gandhiji treated at Rajendra
Prasad’s house?
Ans: The servants at Rajendra Prasad house knew
Shukla as a peasant. Since Gandhi was taken by
taken by Shukla, the servants took him to be
another peasant. So, they let them stay on grounds
and Gandhi was not allowed to draw water from
well thinking him as an untouchable.
6. What were the terms of the indigo contract
between the British landlords and the Indian
peasants?
Ans: The landlords compelled all tenants to
plant three twentieths or 15 per cent of their
holdings with indigo and surrender the entire
indigo harvest as rent. This was done by a
long-term contract.
7. Why did Gandhiji go to Muzzafarapur?
Where did he stay there?
.
Ans: Muzzafarpur was enroute to Champaran.
To obtain more information about
sharecropping system he went there. He stayed
at Professor Malkani’s house for two days who
was a teacher in a government school.
3. What did the landlords do when they know
that Germany had developed synthetic indigo?
Ans: The landlords came to know that Germany
had developed synthetic indigo. Now producing

natural indigo was not profitable for them. They
instead obtained agreements from the
sharecroppers to pay them compensation for
being released from the 15 per cent arrangement.
4. Why did many sharecroppers sign the
agreement letters willingly? What did the
others do who had not signed the letters?
Ans: The sharecropping system was irksome to
the peasants. They signed the agreement letters
willingly. Those who resisted engaged lawyers;
the landlords hired thugs.
5. Why did Gandhiji meet Secretary of the
British landlord’s association? How was he
treated by him?
Ans: Gandhiji arrived Chamaparan to get the
facts. Therefore, he visited the Secretary of the
British landlord’s association. The secretary told
him that they could give no information to an
outsider.
8. How did the peasants of Champaran
react when they came to know about the
arrival of Gandhiji?
Ans: The news of Gandhiji’s advent and of the
nature of his mission spread quickly through
Muzzafarpur and to Champaran.
Sharecroppers from Champaran began arriving
on foot and by conveyance to see their
champion.
9. Why did Gandhiji feel that taking the
Champaran case to the court was useless?
Ans: Gandhiji felt that taking the Champaran
case to the court was useless. Where the
peasants were so crushed and fear-stricken,
law courts were useless. The real relief for
them was to be free from fear.
10. How did Champaran peasants react
when they came to know that a Mahatma
had come to help them?
Ans: When the Champaran peasants came to
know that a Mahatma had come to help them
and he was in trouble with the authorities they
came in large numbers to Motihari. Thousands
of them hold demonstrations around the
Prepared by: Nur Jamal Sk, English teacher, Kalpana Chawla Memorial Academy Sr. Sec. School, Goalpara.
Nur Jamal Sk, KCM Academy, Goalpara
Website: literaturefoundation.blogspot.com
courthouse. The officials felt Mobile: themselves
7002091268
helpless.
11. What made the lieutenant-governor drop
the case against Gandhiji?
Ans: Thousands of peasants came in support of
Gandhiji. The authorities felt that they could not
control them and the condition of law and order
could deteriorate. The pressure of the peasants
was increasing. On the other hand, Gandhiji
refuse to have any bail. Therefore, the lieutenant-
general dropped the case against Gandhiji.
12. Why did Gandhiji tell the court that he was
involved in a ‘conflict of duties’?
Ans: Gandhiji said in the court he was involved
in ‘conflict of duties’. On the one hand, he didn’t
want to set a bad example as a lawbreaker; on the
other hand, he wanted to render humanitarian and
national service for which he had come to
Champaran.
13. How was civil disobedience won for the first
time in India?
Ans: The judge said that he could not deliver his
judgement for several days because of the
overwhelming support to Gandhiji. However, he
was allowed to remain at liberty. Several days
later, Gandhiji received a written communication
from the magistrate informing him that the
Lieutenant-General had decided to drop the case
against him. In this way the civil disobedience
won for the first time in India.
14. How much did the planters ready to refund
to the peasants? How did Gandhiji react to it?
Ans: The planters wanted to prolong the dispute
in some way. Therefore, they offered to refund
only 25 per cent of the money they extracted
illegally from the peasants. Gandhiji at once
agreed to it thus breaking the deadlock.
15. Why did Gandhiji agree for only 25 per
cent refund?
Ans: Gandhiji agreed for 25 percent refund to
break the dead lock. For him the amount of refund
was not important. The landlords had been
obliged to part with some of their money and also
prestige.

16. What social work did Gandhiji do in the
villages of Champaran?
Ans: Gandhiji opened primary schools there.
Many of his disciples came to volunteer their
services. Health condition of the place was
miserable. Gandhiji got a doctor to volunteer
his services for six months.
17. Why was Gandhiji against taking the
help of Charles Freer Andrews?
Ans: Charles Freer Andrews became
Gandhiji’s disciple at Champaran. The lawyers
thought that it would be good for them if they
had an Englishman with them. But Gandhiji
was opposed to it. He said taking help of an
Englishman would show the weakness of their
heart.
18. Why do you think that the servants
thought Gandhiji to be another peasant?
Ans: Gandhiji wore very simple clothes, his
appearance matched a peasant of that days.
Since Gandhi was taken by taken by Shukla,
the servants took him to be another peasant.
19. List the places that Gandhiji visited
between his first meeting with Shukla and
his arrival at Champaran.
Ans: Gandhi went to Cawnpore then he
returned to his ashram near Ahmedabad.
Gandhi then went to Patna. From there he went
Ans: Gandhiji believed in the path of truth and
non-violence. He did nothing that is morally
wrong. He followed the path of non-violence
against the British. Gandhiji’s path was the
path of satyagraha, it means protest for truth
by adopting non-violent methods.
22. How did the episode change the plight of
the peasants?
Ans: The episode of Chamapran had a great
effect on the peasants. They saw they had
rights and defenders. They learned courage.
Also, the British planters abandoned their
estates, which were reverted to the peasants.
Prepared by: Nur Jamal Sk, English teacher, Kalpana Chawla Memorial Academy Sr. Sec. School, Goalpara.
Nur Jamal Sk, KCM Academy, Goalpara
Website: literaturefoundation.blogspot.com
to Muzzafarpur. From there he went
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Champaran.
20. What did the peasants pay the British
landlords as rent? What did the British now
want instead and why? What would be the
impact of synthetic indigo on the prices of
natural indigo?
Ans: The landlords compelled all the peasants
to plant three twentieths or 15 per cent of their
holdings with indigo and surrender the entire
indigo harvest as rent.
The landlords came to know that the Germany had
developed synthetic indigo. So, they demanded
compensation from the peasants for being
released from the 15% arrangement.Producing
natural indigo was not profitable. The price of the
synthetic indigo would be much less than the
natural indigo.
21. The events in this part of the text
illustrate Gandhiji’s method of working.
Can you identify some instances of his
method and link them to his ideas of
satayagraha and non-violence?
Ans: It was only due to the support of ordinary
people that the sharecroppers of Champaran could
get justice. When Gandhiji was arrested in
Motihari, the ordinary people flocked on the roads
in large numbers, as a result, the government had
to drop the case against Gandhiji. Thus, from this
episode, ordinary people too con-tributed to the
freedom movement.
23. Why do you think Gandhi considered
the Champaran episode to be a turning-
point in his life?
Ans: The episode of Champaran gave
independence to Indian peasants. It gave
courage to them. Gandhiji thought that it could
be a small problem. But due to this incident he
decided to urge the departure of the British. It
was here where the civil disobedience was first
time succeeded.
24. What was the attitude of the average
Indian 1 in smaller localities towards
advocates of ‘home rule’?

Ans: In smaller localities the people were
afraid to show sympathy for advocates of
home rule. They were so crushed and
frightened by the dreaded power of the British
that it was impossible for them to support even
the idea of home rule.
25. How do we know that ordinary people
too con-tributed to the freedom movement?
26. Who was Rajkumar Shukla? What did
he want from Gandhiji?
Ans: Rajkumar Shukla was a peasant from
Champaran. He wanted Gandhiji to go to
Champaran to witness the pathetic conditions
of the peasants. He wanted Gandhi to get them
justice from the landlords.
Additional short questions and answers.
1. What was an ancient arrangement in
Indigo?
Ans: An ancient arrangement was
sharecropping.
2. What did the messenger do with Gandhi?
Ans: The messenger served Gandhi with an
official notice to quit Champaran immediately.
3. What landlords had done with the
sharecroppers?
Ans: The landlords forced the sharecroppers to
plant indigo to pay 15% as rent.
4. Who was Reverend J. Z. Hodge?
Ans: Reverend J. Z. Hodge was a British
missionary in Champaran who observed the
entire episode at close range
5. How did Mr. Gandhi break the deadlock?
Ans: Mr. Gandhi broke the deadlock by
getting agree to the offer of 25 per cent refund
by British planters.
Previous Year Questions Solved
2014
Prepared by: Nur Jamal Sk, English teacher, Kalpana Chawla Memorial Academy Sr. Sec. School,
Goalpara.
Nur Jamal Sk, KCM Academy, Goalpara
Website: literaturefoundation.blogspot.com
Mobile: 7002091268
1. Where is Champaran situated?
Ans: (See question no 6 from 1 mark
question section)
2015
1. What did Shukla want Gandhi to do?
Ans: (See question no 26 from 2 marks
question section)
2. Who was Sir Edward Gait?
Ans: (See question no 27 from 1 mark
question section)
2016
1. Who was Rajkumar Shukla?
Ans: (See question no 4 from 1 mark
question section)
2. What was Gandhi’s politics
intertwined with?
Ans: Gandhi’s politics were in intertwined
with the practical, day to day problems of
the millions.
3. Why was the Champaran episode so
significant in Gandhi’s life?
Ans: (See question no 23 from 2 marks
question section)
2017
1. Whom did Gandhi and Shukla want to
meet at Panta?
Ans: Gandhi and Shukla wanted to meet
Rajendra Prasad at Patna.
2. What was the incident that prompted
to Gandhi to raise his voice of protest
against the British?
Ans: Most of the arable land in the
Champaran district was divided into large
estates owned by Englishmen and worked
by Indian peasants. The landlords
compelled all the tenants to surrender 15%
of their indigo holdings. Those who

resisted, were maltreated by the landlords.
This incident prompted to Gandhi to raise
his voice of protest against the British.
2018
1. Where was Champaran?
Ans: (See question no 6 from 1 mark
question section)
2. Why did Gandhi choose to go to
Muzaffarpur first before going on to
Chamaran?
Ans: Gandhi decided to go first to
Muzzafarpur, which was an enroute to
Champaran, to obtain more complete
information about conditions that Shukla
was capable of imparting.
2019
1. Which country had developed
synthetic indigo?
Ans: Germany.
2. Where did Gandhi stay in
Muzzafarpur?
Ans: At the house of Professor Malkani
3. How was a solution to the problem of
indigo sharecroppers of Champaran
found?
Ans: Gandhi took up the cause of the
Indigo sharecroppers at Champaran. He
fought against the injustice of the cruel
British landlords who extorted money from
the poor sharecroppers. At last, the peasants
secured justice and the landlords agreed to
refund 25% of the money. In this way, the
solution to the problem of indigo
sharecroppers of Champaran found.
2020
1. Why was Gandhi visiting Lucknow in
1916?
Prepared by: Nur Jamal Sk, English teacher, Kalpana Chawla Memorial Academy Sr. Sec. School,
Goalpara.
Nur Jamal Sk, KCM Academy, Goalpara
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Ans: Gandhi was visiting Lucknow in 1916
to attend to the annual convention of the
Indian Nation Congress party.
2. Why was Professor Malkani’s action
of offering shelter to Gandhi
‘extraordinary’?
Ans: Government employees were afraid to
show sympathy for advocates of home-rule
in those days since India was under British
rule. So, Gandhi calls Professor Malkani's
action of offering shelter 'extraordinary'
because Gandhi was a protester.
2022
1. Whom did Gandhi and Shukla want to
meet at Panta?
Ans: Gandhi and Shukla wanted to meet
Rajendra Prasad at Patna.
2. Why was Gandhi impressed with
Shukla?
Ans: Gandhi told him about his
appointments in Cawnpore and other parts
of India. But Shukla accompanied Gandhi
everywhere After weeks of remaining at
Gandhiji's side, he begged Gandhi to fix a
date. Thus, Gandhi was impressed by his
tenacity.
2023
1. Which book by Louis Fischer has been
reviewed as one of the best books ever
written on Gandhi by Times Educational
Supplement?
Ans: Answer is given.
2. How was a solution to the problems of
indigo sharecroppers of Champaran
found?
Ans: Answer is given.
Additional Questions and Answers
1. Name two lawyers that came from
Bihar.

Ans: Brij Kishor Babu and Maulana
Mazharul Huq.
2. Which book by Louis Fischer has been
reviewed as one of the best books ever
written on Gandhi by Times Educational
supplement?
Ans: The life of Mahatma Gandhi.
3. When did Gandhi decide to urge the
departure of the British?
Ans: Gandhi decided to urge
Department of the British in 1917.
4. What did Rajkumar Shukla want
Gandhi to do?
Ans: Shukla wanted Gandhi to go to his
district Chamaran.
5. When did Gandhi and Shukla board
the train to?
Ans: Gandhi and Shukla boarded the train
to Patna in Bihar.
6. Where did the Gandhi decide to go fast
from Patna and why?
Ans: Gandhi decided to go first to
Muzzafarpur, which was an enroute to
Champaran, to obtain more complete
information about conditions that Shukla
was capable of imparting.
7. What was the capital of Champaran?
Ans: The capital of Champaran was
Motihari.
8. What happened when Gandhi refused
to furnish bail at the Muzzafarpur
Court?
Ans: When Gandhi refused to furnish bail
at the Muzzafarpur Court then the judge
released him without bail.
9. Where did Gandhi go to in December,
1916?
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Nur Jamal Sk, KCM Academy, Goalpara
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Ans: Gandhi had gone to the annual
convention of the Indian National Congress
party in Lucknow in December 1916.
10. Did Gandhi know about Champaran
before he met Shukla?
Ans: No, Gandhi had never heard about
Champaran before he met Shukla.
Short Answer Questions: (2 marks each)
the
1. Where and when was the annual
convention of the Indian National
congress party held?
Ans: The annual convention of the Indian
National congress party was held in
Lucknow on December 1916.
3. What did Gandhi tell Rajkumar
Shukla?
Ans: Gandhi told Rajkumar Shukla that he
had an appointment in Cawnpore and was
also committed to go to other parts of India.
4. Whom did Gandhi send a telegram
to in Muzzafarpur?
Ans: Gandhi sent a telegram to Professor
J.B. Kripalani, of the Arts College in
Muzzafarpur, whom he had seen at
Tagore’s Shantiniketan school.
5. What did the British Commissioner
of the Tirhut division in Champaran
district ask Gandhi to do?
Ans: The British Commissioner of the
Tirhut division in Champaran district asked
Gandhi to ‘proceeded to bully him and
advised him forthwith to leave Tirhut.
6. What do you know of Rajkumar
Shukla?
Ans: Rajkumar Shukla is a poor yeoman or
a poor peasant of Champaran. He is simple
and resolute person. Only for his
Goalpara.
 Nur Jamal Sk, KCM Academy, Goalpara
Website: literaturefoundation.blogspot.com
Mobile: 7002091268
impression, Gandhi went to Champaran on Ans: Gandhi first met the secretary of the
regarding the problem of sharecroppers. British landlord’s association. The
secretary told him that they could give no
7. Why did Gandhi write to J.B.
information to an outsider. Gandhi
Kripalani?
answered that he was no outsider.
Ans: Gandhi decided to go first to
11. Whom did Gandhi meet in the Tirhut
Muzzafarpur to obtain more complete
division of the Champaran district?
information about conditions than Shukla
What did he say to Gandhi?
had informed. So, Gandhi wrote to J.B.
Kripalani for supporting. Ans: Gandhi met the British official
commissioner in the Tirhut division of the
8. What had spread through
Champaran district. He advised Gandhi to
Muzzafarpur and to Champaran?
leave Tirhut.
Ans: The news of Gandhi’s advent and of
12. What did the British official
the nature of his mission spread quickly
commissioner of the Tirhut division of
through Muzzafarpur and to Champaran.
the Champaran district say to Gandhi?
Sharecroppers from Champaran began
arriving on foot and by conveyance to see Ans: The British official commissioner of
their champion. the Tirhut division of the Champaran
district bullied Gandhi and advised him
9. Who was the ‘Champion’ of the
forthwith to leave Tirhut.
share croppers?
Ans: Mahatma Gandhi was the ‘Champion’
of the share croppers.
10. Whom did Gandhi first meet after
reaching Champaran? What did he say
*******
to Gandhi?

Each question carries 5 marks

1. Describe the efforts made by R. K. Shukla to persuade Gandhi to go to Champaran.
(2014)
Ans: Rajkumar Shukla was a poor and emaciated peasant from Champaran. In the annual
Congress party session held at Lucknow, he came to complain about the injustices of the
landlord system in Bihar. He met Gandhi, introduced himself and told him that he had come to
take him there to help the poor share croppers.
Gandhi told him about his appointments in Cawnpore and other parts of India. But Shukla
was resolute. He accompanied Gandhi everywhere. Then Gandhi returned to his ashram near
Ahmedabad. Shukla followed him to the ashram. After weeks of remaining at Gandhiji's side,
he begged Gandhi to fix a date. Gandhi was impressed by his tenacity. He detailed him about
his Calcutta meeting. Months passed. When Gandhi went to At Calcutta, he found the peasant
sitting on his haunches at the appointed spot. He waited there till Gandhi was free. Then both
boarded a train to Bihar. In this way, R.K. Shukla took Gandhi to Champaran.

Prepared by: Nur Jamal Sk, English teacher, Kalpana Chawla Memorial Academy Sr. Sec. School,
Goalpara.
 Nur Jamal Sk, KCM Academy, Goalpara
Website: literaturefoundation.blogspot.com
Mobile: 7002091268
2. "The battle of Champaran is on". Gandhi exclaimed. Explain the context in which this
was said. (2015,2016)
Ans: Most of the arable land in the Champaran district was divided into large estates owned
by Englishmen and worked by Indian tenants. The chief commercial crop was indigo. The
landlords compelled all tenants to plant three twentieths or 15 per cent of their holdings with
indigo and surrender the entire indigo harvest as rent. This was done by long-term contract. It
makes irksome to the peasants.
Gandhi reached at that moment in Champaran. He had to appear in the court for helping the
sharecroppers and disobey the order of leaving Champaran. However, the supports of lawyers
and spontaneous demonstration of thousands of peasants, Gandhi was released.
Rajendra Prasad, Brij Kishor Babu, Maulana Mazharul and several other prominent lawyers
had arrived from Bihar to help Gandhi for the sharecroppers and the case. Gandhi asked the
lawyers what they would do if he was sentenced to prison. Then, the senior lawyer replied
negatively that they would go home.
Rajendra Prasad and the lawyers consulted that Gandhi was totally a stranger, and yet he was
prepared to go to prison for the sake of the peasants. So, if they would go home then it would
be shameful. So, they said that they were ready to follow him into jail. Then Gandhi exclaimed
that ‘‘The battle of Champaran is won’’.
3. Describe the exploitation of the indigo sharecroppers by the British landlords. How did
Gandhi help them to get an honorable settlement? (2017,2019)
Or
What was the long-term contract between the English landlords and the sharecroppers
of Champaran? Why did the sharecroppers protest against this agreement and how?
Ans: Most of the arable land in the Champaran district was divided into large estates owned
by Englishmen and worked by Indian tenants. The chief commercial crop was indigo. The
landlords compelled all tenants to plant three twentieths or 15 per cent of their holdings with
indigo and surrender the entire indigo harvest as rent. This was done by long-term contract.
When Germany had developed synthetic indigo thereupon the landlords obtained agreements
from the sharecroppers to pay them compensation for being released from the 15 per cent
arrangement.
Gandhi reached at that moment in Champaran. He visited the secretary of the British landlord’s
association and also met British official commissioner of the Tirhut division on regarding the
problems of sharecroppers. He had to appear in the court for the sharecroppers for helping them
and disobey the order of leaving Champaran. By the supports of lawyers and spontaneous
demonstration of thousands of peasants, Gandhi was released and interviewed with Sir Edward
Gait, the Lieutenant-Governor for the case. After the settlement, an official commission
appointed and made inquiry on it. By the various evident, it was proved that the landlord took
the money illegally and deceitfully. So, the landlord had to refund 25 percent to the
sharecroppers. In this way, Gandhi helps them to get a settlement.
4. “Civil disobedience had triumphed, the first time in modern India” – Show, referring
to the prose-piece ‘Indigo’, how this had happened? 2023

Prepared by: Nur Jamal Sk, English teacher, Kalpana Chawla Memorial Academy Sr. Sec. School,
Goalpara.
 Nur Jamal Sk, KCM Academy, Goalpara
Website: literaturefoundation.blogspot.com
Mobile: 7002091268
Ans: Most of the arable land in the Champaran district was divided into large estates owned
by Englishmen and worked by Indian tenants. The chief commercial crop was indigo. The
landlords compelled all tenants to plant three twentieths or 15 per cent of their holdings with
indigo and surrender the entire indigo harvest as rent. This was done by long-term contract. It
makes irksome to the peasants.
Gandhi reached at that moment in Champaran. He had to appear in the court for helping the
sharecroppers and disobey the order of leaving Champaran. However, the supports of lawyers
and spontaneous demonstration of thousands of peasants, Gandhi was released.
Rajendra Prasad, Brij Kishor Babu, Maulana Mazharul and several other prominent lawyers
had arrived from Bihar to help Gandhi for the sharecroppers and the case. Gandhi asked the
lawyers what they would do if he was sentenced to prison. Then, the senior lawyer replied
negatively that they would go home.
Rajendra Prasad and the lawyers consulted that Gandhi was totally a stranger, and yet he was
prepared to go to prison for the sake of the peasants. So, if they would go home then it would
be shameful. So, they said that they were ready to follow him into jail. Then Gandhi exclaimed
that ‘‘The battle of Champaran is won’’.
Several days later, Gandhi received a written communication from the magistrate informing
him that the Lieutenant Governor of the province had ordered the case to be dropped. Civil
disobedience had triumphed, the first time in modern India

******

Prepared by: Nur Jamal Sk, English teacher, Kalpana Chawla Memorial Academy Sr. Sec. School,
Goalpara.