INDIGO

About the story: The story is an excerpt from his book ‘ The Life of. Mahatma Gandhi” the book has been
reviewed as one of the best books written by times Educational Supplement.

About the Author: John he was born in Philadelphia and served as a volunteer in the British army between
1918 and 1920 . He was a journalist too and wrote for The New York Times, the Saturday review, and for
European and asian publications as well.

THEME OF THE STORY:

The story throws light upon the leadership shown by Mahatma Gandhi to get justice for the
oppressed people through assertion and dialogue. It also lays emphasis on the contributions
made by many unacknowledged Indians to the freedom movements

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The story highlights Gandhi’s efforts to help the poor peasants of Champaran. The most
suitable land for growing crops in the Champaran district was owned by the Englishmen,
where the Indian Tenants worked. Indigo was the major commercial crop and all the tenants
were forced to plant 15% indigo and were supposed surrender the entire indigo harvest as
a rent to the landlords. Meanwhile when Britishers did not need Indigo crop anymore
because Germany had already developed synthetic indigo in order to release the peasants
from the 15 %agreement they demanded compensation. Some agreed while others didn’t
agree to this. Rajkumar Shukla was one of the sharecroppers and he went to Gandhiji to seek
some help and convince him to go to champaran and help them against this long term
injustice by the landlords. He followed Gandhi everywhere and strongly wanted Gandhi to
fix a date out of his busy schedule to visit Champaran . Gandhiji was impressed by his
determination and he finally decided to go along with him. They further went to Patna and
Rajkumar took him to a lawyer named Rajendra Prasad.
The servants of the lawyer’s house did not take Gandhi ji seriously because he was dressed
very modestly and he was mistook as another peasant. Shukla and Gandhi further went to
Muzzafnagar to get a deeper insight about the sharecroppers of Champaran. A telegram
was sent to J.B Kriplani while they stayed at the house of prof. Malakani who was a
government servant .British Government on the other hand punished those who gave
shelters to national leaders or protestors of the government. Gandhi was popular already and
his arrival and the way to resist the government orders were spread like a wildfire. Many
people came to support him along with the lawyers and peasant groups. After Gandhiji’s
scolding the lawyers understood that their charges for fighting the case of peasants were
very high and a poor peasant could not afford it

Gandhi finally reaches Champaran to meet the secretary of British landlord association to
get the facts and figures but he was not welcomed because he was addressed as an outsider
by them. He was asked to leave Trihut after he visited the British Official Gandhi
commissioner. Gandhi instead went to Motihari the capital of Champaran to further
investigate the problems of the people .Through negotiations he agreed on 25 % refund by
landowners Gandhi collected fees from the sharecroppers and counseled the peasants to
fight for their rights without fear and with confidence. Finally he succeeded in getting
justice after fighting yearlong battle. He also made arrangement for the education, health,
hygiene for h families of the poor and taught them the lesson of self reliance or and
independence.