INDIGO

BY LOUIS FISCHER

Louis Fischer (1896-1970) was born in Philadelphia in 1896. He served as a

volunteer in the British Army between 1918-1920. Fischer made a career as a
journalist and wrote for The New York Times, The Saturday Review and for
European and Asian publications. He was also a member of the faculty of
Princeton University. He met Gandhiji in 1942 at his Ashram in Sevagram. The
Life of Mahatma Gandhi by Fischer has been reviewed as one of the best books
ever written on Gandhiji by Times Educational Supplement.
Who was Rajkumar Shukla?
During the 31st session of the Congress in Lucknow in 1916, Gandhiji met Raj
Kumar Shukla, a representative of farmers from Champaran, who requested him to
come and see for himself the miseries of the indigo ryots (tenant farmers) there.
Gandhi later wrote in his autobiography “I must confess that I did not then know
even the name, much less the geographical position, of Champaran, and I had
hardly any notion of indigo plantations.” Raj Kumar Shukla met Mahatma
Gandhi to make him aware of the plight of the cultivators in Champaran and
persuaded him to go there.

 To commemorate his 125th birth anniversary, the Department of

Posts released a stamp in his honour in 2000. On the occasion of 100 years
of Champaran Satyagrah Govt. of Bihar established a Statue of Pt. Rajkumar
Shukla at Gandhi Sangrhalay, Patna and Gandhi Peace Foundation Delhi
has showcased Photograph of Raj Kumar Shukla.
Farmers cutting the indigo plants and loading them on a cart for transportation

His battle against the British raj was not only limited to the abolition of
the tinkathia (3 out 0f 20th part of land) system. He also focused on the social
discrimination targeting especially women and children. Shukla had emerged as a
popular anti-imperial face in Champaran region, then, says Mani Bhushan Rai,
Shukla’s grandson (75).

THEMES:
  Effective leadership can solve any kind of problems
 It’s not impossible to conquer and win over the powerful
 Unity in diversity
 Justice can be achieved through negotiation and oppression must
be fought against.
 Determination, freedom from fear and self-reliance must be
developed otherwise we will always be dominated over and never
be free.
Value Points
 Rajkumar Shukla- A poor sharecropper from Champaran wishing
to meet Gandhiji.
 Raj Kumar Shukla- an illiterate but resolute hence followed
Gandhiji everywhere Lucknow, Cawnpore, Ahmedabad, Calcutta,
Patna, Muzzafarpur and then Champaran.
 Servants at Rajendra Prasad’s residence thought Gandhiji to be an
untouchable.
 Gandhiji considered as an untouchable because of simple living
style and wearing, due to the company of Rajkumar Shukla.
 Decided to go to Muzzafarpur first to get detailed information
about Champaran sharecropper.
  Sent telegram to J B Kriplani and stayed in Prof Malkani’s home-
a government servant.
 Indians afraid to show sympathy to the supporters of home rule.
 The news of Gandhiji’s arrival spread- sharecroppers gathered in
large number to meet their champion.
 Gandhiji chided the Muzzafarpur lawyer for taking high fee.
   Champaran district was divided into estate owned by English
people, Indians only tenant farmers.
 Landlords compelled tenants to plant 15% of their land with indigo
and surrender their entire harvest as rent.
 In the meantime Germany had developed synthetic indigo –British
landlords freed the Indian farmers from the 15% arrangement but
asked them to pay compensation.
  Many signed, some resisted engaged lawyers, and landlords hired
thugs.
 Gandhiji reached Champaran- visited the secretary of the British
landlord association to get the facts but denied as he was an
outsider.
 Gandhiji went to the British Official Commissioner who asked him
to leave Tirhut, Gandhiji disobeyed, went to Motihari the capital of
Champaran where a vast multitude greeted him, continued his
investigations.
 Visited maltreated villagers, stopped by the police superintendent
but disobeyed the order.
  Motihari black with peasants, spontaneous demonstrations-
showed courage to stand up for the cause- beginning of their
freedom from fear of the British.
 Gandhiji helped the British in regulating the crowd*(Imp)
 He was torn between two things – he didn’t want to set a bad
example as a law breaker, and he wanted to render humanitarian
and national service*(Imp)
 Gandhiji released without bail.
 Meanwhile many eminent lawyers arrived in
Champaran ..Rajendra Prasad, Brij Kishore Babu, Maulana
Mazharul Huq
 Gandhiji asked them, what would they do if he was sentenced to
prison?
 The lawyers felt if a stranger was prepared to go to prison for the
sake of the peasants, it would be disgraceful for them to stay away
from the movement.
 They decided to follow Gandhiji into jail.
 Civil Disobedience triumphed.
 In June, Gandhiji was summoned to Sir Edward Gait, the
Lieutenant – Governor.
 Gandhiji had 4 protracted interviews* (Imp)
  Gandhiji agreed to 25% refund by the landowners, it symbolised
the surrender of the prestige.
 Gandhiji worked hard towards social and cultural reforms
  Sought volunteers for teaching.. his wife, Mahadev Desai, Narhari
Parikh and many others volunteered
 Primary schools opened in 6 villages
 Kasturbai taught ashram rules and hygiene
 Health conditions in miserable state
 A volunteer was engaged to look after public health
 Ashram managed from Champaran
 Champaran episode was a turning point in Gandhiji’s life.
 Champaran episode was not an act of defiance but it was a sincere
effort to alleviate the distress of the masses.
 Gandhiji’s politics intertwined with the practical day-to-day
problems of the millions
 Expression of his loyalty to living human beings
 He tried to mould a new free India who could stand on his feet and
thus make India free.
 Gandhiji taught a lesson of self - reliance by not seeking help of an
English man Mr. Andrews.
 Self reliance, Indian independence and help to share croppers were
all bound together.

Characters

I. Rajkumar Shukla
 Peasant in Champaran
 Troubled by sharecropping
 Illiterate but resolute
 Never left Gandhiji’s side until he agreed to visit
Champaran

II. Mahatma Gandhi

 Visited Champaran, stayed there for over a year
 Removed problems of sharecropping
 Contributed to Indian Independence struggle
 Taught a lesson of self – reliance
III. Edward Gait
 Lt. Governor of the province
 Ordered to drop the case against Gandhi
 Set up an enquiry commission to find out the issues

IV. Rajendra Prasad

 A lawyer who became President of Indian National
Congress

V. C.F.Andrews
 An English pacifist and a devoted follower of Gandhi ji

Question Bank

Short Answer Type Questions

1. Why was Gandhiji impressed with Rajkumar Shukla?

2. What were the conditions of the sharecroppers of Champaran?
3. How was Gandhi able to influence lawyers? Give instances.
4. Why do you think Gandhi considered the Champaran episode to be a turning-
point in his life?
5. What was the attitude of the average Indian in smaller localities towards
advocates of ‘home rule’?
6. How do we know that ordinary people too contributed to the freedom
movement?
7. How did Gandhiji’s meeting with Sir Edward Gait help the sharecroppers?
8. What made the British realize that the Indians could challenge their might
hitherto unquestioned?
9. How did Gandhi make the peasants fearless and self reliant?
10. Why did Gandhi agree to a settlement of 25 percent refund to the farmers?
11. What was the conflict of duties in which Gandhi was involved? (Question
Bank,NCT)
12. When did Gandhi say ‘The battle of Champaran is won? (Question
Bank ,NCT)
13. “Civil disobedience had triumphed the first time in India.” How did it happen?
(Question Bank ,NCT)
14. What did Gandhiji say to his friends when they suggested that Charles
Andrews should be retained for the sake of the Champaran movement?
(Question Bank ,NCT)
15. How did Gandhi teach his followers a lesson of self-reliance?

Long Answer Type Questions

1. Why was the sharecropping irksome? What was its fate?

2. How did Gandhi ji win the battle of Champaran?
3. Justify the appropriateness of the title ‘Indigo’ to this extract.
4. How did Gandhi use Satyagraha and non-violence to achieve his goal?
5. Why was Gandhi summoned to appear in court? How did he gain his
liberty?
6. Give an account of Gandhi’s efforts to secure justice for the poor indigo
sharecroppers of Champaran?
7. How did Gandhi work for rural uplift during his stay in Champaran?
8. What impression do you form about Gandhi on reading the chapter
‘Indigo’?
9. Why is Champaran considered to be the beginning of the Indian struggle
of Independence? (All India 2014)

Value Based Questions

1. Patriotism is in political life what faith is in religion. John F. Kennedy

said, “Ask not what your country can do for you, and ask what you
can do for your country.” Those who sacrifice their comfort for the
welfare of the state get recognition. Write an article on the topic
‘Patriotism’.
2. “Freedom from fear is more important than legal justice for the poor”.
Do you think that the poor of India are free from fear after
independence? Write a debate for or against the motion.
3. Exploitation is a universal phenomenon. The poor Indigo farmers
were exploited by the British landlords, to which Gandhi ji objected.
Even after our independence we find the exploitation of unorganised
labour. What values do we learn from Gandhi’s campaign to counter
the present day problems of exploitation?