AIL Project

Indigo
The Champaran Satyagraha

Made By : Deeksha Sharma

Subject: English
Class: XII-C4
Mahatma Gandhi : Early life and background
• Mahatma Gandhi was born on 2nd October 1869 in Porbandar .

•The Indian classics, especially the stories of Shravana and

king Harishchandra, had a great impact on Gandhi in his childhood.

•He joined Samaldas college in Bhavnagar in 1888 at Gujarat. Later,

one of his family friend Mavji Dave Joshi suggested him to pursue
further studies i.e. law in London. 

•In May, 1893 he went to South Africa to work as a lawyer. There

he had the first-hand experience of racial discrimination.

•In 1915, Gandhiji returned to India permanently and joined the

Indian National Congress with Gopal Krishna Gokhale as his
mentor.
Historical background of the Champaran Satyagraha

•Champaran district was

the part of permanent
settlement area which
consisted of the large
zamindari estates under
rich and influential landlords

•Before Champaran
Satyagraha, the farmer of
Champaran used to follow the
"panchkathiya" system,
whereby five katthas of land in
a bigha had to be planted with
indigo.
 Role of Raj Kumar Shukla :

•Raj Kumar Shukla wanted to change the obnoxious system of

agricultural labour prevailing in Champaran. They could not grow the
food they needed, nor did they receive adequate payment for the
indigo.

•Brajkishore Prasad and Rajendra Prasad who were the sympathetic

lawyers of Patna suggested him to meet Mohandas Karamchand
Gandhi, who was attending the 31st Session of the Congress in
Lucknow.
 The Champaran Satyagraha begins :

Raj Kumar Shukla and Sant Raut persuaded Gandhi to go to

Champaran, and thus, the Champaran Satyagraha began.
Gandhi arrived in Champaran 10 April 1917 and stay on the
house of Sant raut in Amolwa village.

 On his arrival, the District Magistrate served him with a notice
saying that he was not to remain in the district of Champaran but
must leave the place by the first available train.
‘If you leave the district
now and promise not to
return, the case against
you
. will be withdrawn.’

‘This cannot be.’

‘I came here to render
humanitarian and national
service.
I shall make Champaran
my home and work for the
suffering people.’
 Gandhiji addressing the crowd:

‘You must show your faith in me and in my work by

remaining quiet. The magistrate had the right to arrest
me because I disobeyed his order. If I am sent to jail,
you must accept that as just. We must work peacefully.
And a violent act will harm our cause.’
The Government withdrew the case
against Gandhi and allowed him to
remain in the district. Gandhi stayed
there to study the grievances of the
peasants.

He established the first-ever basic school at Barharwa

Lakhansen village, 30 km east from the district
headquarters at Dhaka, East Champaran, on November 13,
1917, to improve the economic and educational conditions
of the people.
Then, he led organized protests and strike against the landlords,
who with the guidance of the British government, signed an
agreement granting more compensation and control over farming
for the poor farmers of the region, and cancellation of revenue
hikes and collection until the famine ended.

It was during this agitation, that first time Gandhi

called Bapu (Father) by Sant Raut . 
 For the first time in India, Gandhi was displaying that
magnetic personality, which was to draw multitudes to him
and to earn him the title of Mahatma and the nickname of
Bapu.

Under pressure from the Government of India, the

Government of Bihar appointed a committee of inquiry (June
1917).

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