Name____________________std____________________

INDIGO
by Louis Fischer

Theme:-
 The leadership shown by Mahatma Gandhi to secure justice for oppressed
people through convincing argumentation and negotiation.
 The typical Gandhian pattern of self reliance, Indian independence, helps to
share-coppers, political and economical change inclusive of social and
cultural changes that were all bound together.

Questions and Answers:-

1. Why is Rajkumar Shukla decried as being ‘resolute’?
Rajkumar Shukla was a poor yeoman who lived at the foothills of Himalayas
in Champaran. He was fim in complaining against landlord system in Bihar.
He was in desperate need of Gandhi’s help. Shukla bore all pains and
followed Gandhiji where ever he went. He waited till Gandhiji was free. In
this way he pleased Gandhi and finally took him to Champaran. Thus, we
can say that even though Rajkumar Shukla was illiterate, he was indeed
very firm and resolute in his decisions.
2. Why do you think the servants thought Gandhi to be another peasant?

The servants had known Rajkumar Shukla as a poor yeoman. It could

possibly have been Gandhiji’s simple dress code and his lean physique
which mislead the servants.

3. List the places that Gandhi visited between his first meeting with Shukla and
his arrival at Champaran.
The places that Gandhiji visited between the first two incidents were
Lucknow, Cawnpore (Kanpur), Ahmedabad, Calcutta, Patna and
Muzzafarpur and then he went to Motihari, the capital of Champaran.

Prepared by- Syeda Shahida

4. What did the peasants pay the British landlords as rent? What did the British
now want and why? What would be the impact of synthetic indigo the prices
of natural indigo?
The peasants were forcibly made to cultivate indigo on fifteen percentage
of their land and then submit the entire indigo harvest as rent to landlords.
At that time, Germany had developed synthetic indigo. Indigo plantation
was now no more profitable. The synthetic indigo was produced at a
cheaper rate than the natural indigo, cutting down on cost of production
when grown in plantations.
Now, the landlords wanted compensation to free the indigo growers. The
peasants came to realize their trick.

5. The events in this part of the text illustrate Gandhi’s method of working. Can
you identify some instances of this method and link them to his ideas of
Satyagraha and non-violence?
Gandhi had a deep respect for the legal authority but he could also defy the
authorities when they violated natural justice and human values. He
received an official notice to quit Champaran quickly. Gandhiji declared that
he would disobey the order. For him voice of conscience was above any
law. All these instances link them to his ideals of Satyagraha and non-
violence. The typical Gandhian pattern of working is based on self reliance,
Indian independence, helps to share-coppers, political and economical
change inclusive of social and cultural changes that were all bound
together.
6. Why did Gandhi agree to a settlement of 25 percent refund to the farmers?
The landlords feared that Gandhiji would demand repayment of all the
money. But he asked only 50%. In order to create a dead-lock the farmers
were offered 25% and Gandhiji agreed to it. He explained that the amount
of refund was less important. He wanted to humble down the hitherto
(until then) unchallenged landlords. They were compelled to surrender a
part of their money and with that a part of their prestige.
Prepared by- Syeda Shahida
7. How did the episode change the plight of the peasants?
The Champaran episode was indeed a turning point in the life of people of
Champaran and that of Gandhiji too. Previously, the landlords behaved as
lords of the law. With the Champaran incident, the peasants realized that
they had legal rights. They learned courage. The people became more self-
reliant, developed self-respect and learned to stand united.
8. Why do you think Gandhi considered the Champaran episode to be a turning
point in his life?
The Champaran episode was a turning point in Gandhiji’s life. Gandhiji
himself accepts this fact. It was the first mass movement in India. Gandhiji
took up the cause of the poor peasants. He fought against the injustice of
the cruel landlords. They extorted (squeezed) money from the poor indigo
growers. But the Champaran did not begin as an act of defiance. The
movement grew out of Gandhiji’s attempt to remove the distress of poor
peasants. It was a typical Gandhian movement.

The success of Champaran marked the first triumph of civil disobedience in

modern India. The amount of refund was less important. More was that the
British landlords were forced to surrender a part of their money and with
that a part of their prestige. As a result Indian peasants learned to defend
their rights. Above all, the Champaran episode was a beginning of their
liberation from the fear of the British.
9. How was Gandhi able to influence lawyers? Give instances.
The role of lawyers in Champaran movement was quite significant. The
news of Gandhi’s advent spread among the lawyers of Muzaffarpur. They
called on Gandhi to brief up the case. Gandhi chided the lawyers for
collecting big fees and said that law courts were useless for them.

Gandhi asked what they would do if he was sent to prison. A senior lawyer
replied that if he would go to jail they would go home. Gandhi was
disappointed. He asked what would happen to the share-croppers if he
went to jail. The lawyers realized their error that Gandhiji was totally a
stranger and yet he was prepared to go to prison for the sake of the
Prepared by- Syeda Shahida
 peasants. They thought that going will be a shameful desertion. They told
him that they were ready to follow him to jail. Thus Gandhiji’s personalities
influenced the lawyers. Gandhiji was more than satisfied, he declared –
“the battle of Champaran is won”.
10.What was the attitude of the average Indian in smaller localities towards
advocates of ‘home rule’?
It is true that before the advent of Gandhiji, India had not seen any mass
movement in the political scenario. The common masses were totally
different and unorganized. The condition of the people, particularly poor
peasants was miserable- hungry, poor, crushed and exploited by landlords.
They were afraid to show any sympathy towards the advocates of the
home rule.
Gandhiji brought the average Indian masses from isolation to mass
movements. The victory in the Champaran case proves as a catapult to
boost the morale and encourage the common mass to learn their rights and
fight for them. Thus, they learn to appreciate and support home rule
movement.
11. How do we know the ordinary people too contributed to the freedom
movement?
The freedom movement would not have been successful without the
participation of ordinary people. Before Gandhi common masses were
indifferent to the freedom movement. It was the advent of Gandhi who
brought the struggle for freedom even to the huts of the millions. The
Champaran episode was a turning point in the life of Gandhi. It was a
milestone in the long freedom movement. The civil disobedience was
victorious for the first time in modern India. The participation of the
ordinary people continued in every movement not only men but thousands
of women worked alongside men on an equal footage. The boycott of
British goods was organized on a large scale in every city and every town.
Similarly, Quit India movement of 1942 involved crores of people from
length and breath of the nation. Participation of the masses in the freedom
movement unnerved the Britishers they could not stand the might of the

Prepared by- Syeda Shahida

 masses. That started the beginning of India’s freedom and the end British
rule in India.
12.”Freedom from fear is more important the legal justice for the poor”. Do you
think that the poor of India are free from fear after independence?
Freedom from fear is more important and it is quite true in the context of
the Indian poor. Legal justice in India is not available to every one. Only
those who have money can engage good lawyers and pay heavy fees. Poor
peasants remain unheard because they can’t pay. This is what exactly
Gandhi said to the lawyers of Bihar when they called on him. Gandhiji
chided them for charging heavy fees.
It is far from truth that poor of India are free from fear even after
independence. For the poor the biggest fear is how to keep their body and
soul together. Money and crime go together. Poor peasants are still
exploited. They don’t get the full value of their produce. No one hears or
cares about their plight. Similarly, factory workers don’t have any security
of service and descent remuneration. If there are any people free from fear
in India they are the rich industrialists, big landlords, muscle men,
politicians and underworld kings etc.
12. Discuss the qualities of a good leader
 One who has the power to understand people
 Thinks general welfare for the people and works for it
 Able to risk himself for the sake of his fellow men
 Guide others to the greater goal

Prepared by- Syeda Shahida