Indigo

[Link] was the problem with Champaran Peasants?

Ans—The peasants of Champaran were forced to grow indigo as in 15% of the land as
sharecroppers and submit the entire harvest to british landlords as rent under a long term
contract. When Germany started producing synthetic indigo, the british landlords asked the
peasants to stop growing indigo and demanded compensation from the sharecroppers to release
them from the long term contract. They engaged thugs to harass those who did not agree to pay
compensation. This was harassing, exploitative and painful to the peasants of Champaran.

Q2. Strike out what is not true in the following:

(a)Rajkumar Shukla was:
(i)a sharecropper (ii)a politician
(iii)delegate (iv)a landlord.
(b) Rajkumar Shukla was:
(i) poor (ii)physically strong
(iii) illiterate.
Ans: (a) (ii) a politician
(b) (ii) physically strong

Q3. Why is Rajkumar Shukla described as being ‘resolute’?

Ans: He had come all the way from Champaran district in the foothills of Himalayas to Lucknow
to speak to Gandhi. Shukla accompanied Gandhi everywhere. Shukla followed him to the ashram
near Ahmedabad. For weeks he never left Gandhi’s side till Gandhi asked him to meet at
Calcutta.

Q4. Why do you think the servants thought Gandhi to be another peasant?
Ans: Shukla led Gandhi to Rajendra Prasad’s house. The servants knew Shukla as a poor
yeoman. Gandhi was also clad in a simple dhoti. He was the companion of a peasant. Hence, the
servants thought Gandhi to be another peasant.

Q5. List the places that Gandhi visited between his first meeting with Shukla and his
arrival at Champaran.
Ans: Gandhi’s first meeting with Shukla was at Lucknow. Then he went to Cawnpore and other
parts of India. He returned to his ashram near Ahmedabad. Later he went to Calcutta, Patna and
Muzaffarpur before arriving at Champaran.

Q6. 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 peasants paid the British landlords indigo as rent. Now Germany had developed
synthetic indigo. So, the British landlords wanted money as compensation for being released
from the 15 per cent arrangement. The prices of natural indigo would go down due to the
synthetic Indigo.
Q7. Why did Gandhi agree to a settlement of 25 per cent refund to the farmers?
Ans: For Gandhi the amount of the refund was less important than the fact that the landlords had
been forced to return part of the money, and with it, part of their prestige too. So, he agreed to
settlement of 25 per cent refund to the farmers.

Q8. How did the episode change the plight of the peasants?
Ans: The peasants were saved from spending time and money on court cases. After some years
the British planters gave up control of their estates. These now reverted to the peasants. Indigo
sharecropping disappeared.

[Link] do you think Gaffdhi considered the Champaran episode to be a turning- point in
his life?
Ans: The Champaran episode began as an attempt to ease the sufferings of large number of poor
peasants. He got spontaneous support of thousands of people. Gandhi admits that what he had
done was a very ordinary thing. He declared that the British could not order him about in his own
country. Hence, he considered the Champaran episode as a turning- point in his life.

Q10. How was Gandhi able to influence lawyers? Give instances.

Ans: Gandhi asked the lawyers what they would do if he was sentenced to prison. They said that
they had come to advise him. If he went to jail, they would go home. Then Gandhi asked them
about the injustice to the sharecroppers. The lawyers held consultations. They came to the
conclusion that it would be shameful desertion if they went home. So, they told Gandhi that they
were ready to follow him into jail.

Q11. “What was the attitude of the average Indian in smaller localities towards advocates
of ‘home rule’?
Ans: The average Indians in smaller localities were afraid to show sympathy for the advocates of
home-rule. Gandhi stayed at Muzaffarpur for two days at the home of Professor Malkani, a
teacher in a government school. It was an extraordinary thing in those days for a government
professor to give shelter to one who opposed the government.

Q12. How do we know that ordinary people too contributed to the freedom movement?
Ans: Professor J.B. Kriplani received Gandhi at Muzaffarpur railway station at midnight. He had
a large body of students with him. Sharecroppers from Champaran came on foot and by
conveyance to see Gandhi. Muzaffarpur lawyers too called on him. A vast multitude greeted
Gandhi when he reached Motihari railway station. Thousands of people demonstrated around the
court room. This shows that ordinary people too contributed to the freedom movement in India.

[Link] was Rajkumar Shukla? Why did he come to Lucknow?

Ans: Rajkumar Shukla was a poor peasant from Champaran district in Bihar. He had come to
Lucknow, where a Congress session was being held, to complain about the injustice of the
landlord system in Bihar.

Q14. Where is Champaran district situated? What did the peasants grow there? How did

they use their harvest?

Ans: Champaran district of Bihar is situated in the foothills of the Himalayas, near the kingdom
of Nepal. Under an ancient arrangement, the Champaran peasants were sharecroppers. They had
to grow indigo on 15 per cent of the land and give it to the English estate owners as rent.

Q15. How did the development of synthetic indigo affect the English estate owners and the

Indian tenants?

Ans: The English estate owners saw that indigo cultivation was no longer [Link] wanted
money from the sharecroppers as compensation for being released from the 15 per cent
arrangement. They obtained agreements from their tenants to this effect and extorted money
illegally and deceitfully.

Q16. How did the Indian peasants react to the new agreement release them from
sharecropping arrangement?

Ans: The sharecropping arrangement was troublesome to the peasants. Many of them signed the
new agreement willingly. Some resisted and engaged lawyers. Then they came to know about
synthetic indigo. The peasants wanted their money back.

Q17. Why do you think Gandhi was not permitted to draw water from Rajendra Prasad’s
well at Patna?
Ans: The servants of Rajendra Prasad thought Gandhi to be another peasant. They did not know
him. They were not certain whether he was an untouchable or not. They feared that some drops
from his bucket might pollute the entire well. So, he was not permitted to draw water from the
well.

Q18. Why did Gandhi decide to go first to Muzaffarpur before going to Champaran:
Ans: Gandhi wanted to obtain more complete information about conditions than Shukla was
capable of imparting. Muzaffarpur lawyers, who frequently represented peasant groups in courts,
brief Gandhi about their cases.

Q19. Why did Gandhi chide the lawyers? What according to him was the real relief for the
sharecroppers?
Ans: Gandhi chided the lawyers for collecting big fee from the poor sharecroppers. He thought
that taking such cases to the court did little good to the crushed and fear-stricken peasants. The
relief for them, according to Gandhi, was to be free from fear.

Q20. How did Ga n dhi begin his mission in Champaran ? How far did his efforts prove
successful?
Ans: He began by trying to get the facts. First, he visited the secretary of the British landlord’s
association. He told Gandhi that they could give no information to an outsider. Then Gandhi
called on the British official commissioner of the Tirhut Division. The commissioner tried to
bully Gandhi and advised him to leave Tirhut.
Q21. Where did Gandhiji want to go? What happened to him on the way?
Ans: Gandhiji wanted to go to a nearby village where a peasant had been maltreated. He had not
gone far when the police superintendent’s messenger overtook him and ordered him to return to
town in his carriage. Gandhiji obeyed the order and returned with him.

Q22. ‘In consequence, Gandhi received a summons to appear in the court next day.’Which
events of the previous day led to this state of affairs?
Ans: The police superintendent’s messenger served an official notice on Gandhi. It ordered him
to quit Champaran immediately. Gandhi signed a receipt for the notice. He wrote on the receipt
that he would disobey the order. Hence, he was summoned to appear in the court.

Q23. What was the “conflict of duties” in which Gandhi was involved?
Ans: First, he did not want to set a bad example as a law breaker. Second, he wanted to render
the “humanitarian and national service” for which he had come. He respected the lawful
authority, but disregarded the order to leave to obey the voice of his conscience.

Q24. What according to Rajendra Prasad, was the upshot of the consultations of the
lawyers regarding the injustice to sharecroppers?
Ans: They thought that Gandhi was a total stranger. Yet he was ready to go to prison for the sake
of the peasants. On the other hand, the lawyers were the residents of nearby districts. They also
claimed to have served these peasants. It would be shameful desertion if they should go home
then.

Q25. “Civil disobedience had triumphed, the first time in modern India.” How?
Ans: A case against Gandhi was initiated for disregarding government orders. The spontaneous
demonstration of thousands of peasants baffled the officials. The judge was requested to
postpone the trial. Gandhi refused to furnish bail. The judge released him without bail. Several
days later Gandhi received an official letter. The case against him had been dropped. Thus, civil
disobedience had triumphed.

Q26. How did the refund-settlement influence the peasant-landlord relationship in

Champaran?
Ans: Before the settlement of the refund, the planters had behaved as lords above the law. Now
the peasant saw that he had rights and defenders. He learned courage. Within a few years, the
British planters abandoned their estates. The peasants became masters of the land. There were no
sharecropers now.

Q27. Which other spheres besides political or economic fields received Gandhi’s attention
during his long stay in Champaran?
Ans:The cultural and social backwardness of the Champaran areas pained Gandhi. He appealed
for teachers. Several persons responded to his call. Primary schools were opened in six villages.
Kasturba taught the ashram rules on personal cleanliness and community sanitation. With the
help of a doctor and three medicines, they tried to fight the miserable health conditions.

Q28. How did Gandhi teach his followers a lesson of self-reliance?

Ans. During the Champaran action, Gandhi’s lawyer friends thought it would be good if C.F.
Andrews stayed on in Champaran and helped them. Gandhi opposed this idea as it showed the
weakness of their heart. Their cause was just and they must rely upon themselves to win this
unequal fight. They should not seek the support of Mr Andrews because he happened to be an
Englishman.

Long Questions.

Q1. What solution to the problems of the poor did Gandhi suggest? How far did the
Champaran movement help in this direction?
OR
“The real relief for them is to be free from fear”, remarked Gandhi. What do you think,
was “the beginning of their liberation from the fear of the British” ?
Ans. The sharecropper peasants had to grow indigo on 15 per cent of their holdings and
surrender the indigo harvest as rent to the landlord. When Germany developed synthetic indigo,
the British planters started extracting money illegally and deceitfully as compensation from the
peasants for being released from the 15 per cent arrangement. The peasants were made to sign
new agreements and pay money. The planters behaved as lords above the law. Many peasants
engaged lawyers at hefty fees and went to courts.
The Muzaffarpur lawyers briefed Gandhi about the peasants for whom they frequently
represented in courts. Gandhi realised that these peasants were badly crushed and fear- stricken.
Freedom from fear was more important than legal justice for them. Gandhiji was ready to court
arrest for them. Thousands of peasants demonstrated spontaneously around the court. The
government had to release Gandhi without bail. This voluntary uprising of the peasants marked
the beginning of their liberation from the fear of the British.

Q2. Why was Gandhi summoned to appear in the court? How did he gain his liberty ?
OR
‘Civil disobedience had triumphed, the first time in modern India.’Relate the events during
Gandhi’s stay in Champaran that led to the triumph.
Ans. Gandhi had reached Motihari, the Capital of Champaran, to study the problems of the
sharecropper peasants. He was on his way to a neighbouring village, where a peasant was ill-
treated. On the way, he was stopped by the police superintendent’s messenger and ordered to
return to town. When he reached home, he was served with an official notice to quit Champaran
at once. Gandhi wrote on the receipt that he would disobey the order. So Gandhi received a
summons to appear in the court the next day.
Next morning the town of Motihari was black with peasants. Thousands of peasants
demonstrated voluntarily outside the court. The prosecutor requested the judge to postpone the
trial. Gandhi protested against the delay. He read out a statement pleading guilty. He asked the
penalty. The judge announced that he would pronounce the sentence after a two-hour recess. He
asked Gandhi to furnish bail for that period. Gandhi refused. The judge released him without
bail. After the recess, the judge said that he would not deliver the judgement for several days.
Meanwhile he allowed Gandhi to remain at liberty.
Several days later Gandhi received a letter. The case against him had been dropped. Thus, civil
disobedience had triumphed, for the first time in India.

Q3. Give an account of Gandhi’s efforts to secure justice for the poor indigo sharecroppers
of Champaran.
OR
“Indigo sharecropping disappeared.” Which factors do you think, helped to achieve
freedom for the fear-stricken peasants of Champaran?
Ans. Gandhi went to Champaran on receiving reports of exploitation of the poor sharecropper
peasants at the hands of British planters. He began by trying to get the facts. The British
landlords as well as the Commissioner of Tirhut were non-cooperative. Lawyers from
MuZaffarpur briefed him about the court cases of these peasants.
Gandhi and the lawyers collected depositions by about ten thousand peasants. Notes were made
on other evidence. Documents were collected. The whole area throbbed with the activities of the
investigators and forceful protests of landlords.
The lieutenant governor summoned Gandhi. After four protracted interviews an official
commission of inquiry was appointed to look into the indigo sharecroppers’ condition. Gandhi
was the sole representative of the peasants. The official inquiry assembled huge quantity of
evidence against the big planters. They agreed, in principle, to make refunds to the peasants.
After consultation, a settlement of 25 per cent refund to the farmers was agreed on. This was a
moral victory of the peasants. They recognised their rights and learned courage.
Within a few years the British planters gave up their estates. These now went back to the
peasants. They became the masters of land. Thus, indigo sharecropping disappeared.

Q4. How did Gandhi work for rural uplift during his stay in Champarant
Ans. Gandhi wanted to do something to remove the cultural and social backwardness in
Champaran villages. He appealed for teachers. Two young disciples of Gandhi, Mahadev Desai
and Narhari Parikh and their wives volunteered themselves for work. Several others responded
from distant parts of the country. Mrs. Kasturba Gandhi and Devdas, Gandhi’s youngest son,
arrived from the Ashram. Primary schools were opened in six villages. Kasturba taught the
ashram rules on personal cleanliness and community cleanliness. She also talked to women about
their filthy clothes.
Health conditions were miserable. Gandhi got a doctor to volunteer his services for six months.
Only three medicines were available: Castor oil, quinine and sulphur ointment. Anyone who
showed a coated tongue was given a dose of castor oil; anybody with malaria fever received
quinine plus castor oil; anybody with skin eruptions received ointment plus caster oil.
Thus, Gandhi never contented himself with large political or economic solutions. He worked for
total uplift of villages and the poor sections of the society.

Q5. ‘Self-reliance, Indian independence and help to sharecroppers were all bound
together.’ Elucidate on the basis of reading ‘Indigo’ by Louis Fischer.
OR
‘The Champaran episode was a turning-point in Gandhi’s life. Explain with examples from
‘Indigo’ by Louis Fischer.
Ans. Gandhi stayed in Champaran for a long time. The Champaran episode was a turning point
in his life. It was during this struggle in 1917 that he decided to urge the departure of the British.
Champaran episode did not begin as an act of defiance. It grew out of an attempt to make the
sufferings of large numbers of poor peasants less severe. Gandhi concentrated on their practical
day to day problems. He analysed the root cause of the problem-fear, and tried to eradicate it.
The voluntary demonstration of the poor peasants against the government for putting Gandhi in
trouble was the beginning of the end of their fear of the British.
In everything Gandhi did, he tried to mould a new free Indian who could stand on his own feet
and thus make India free. He taught his lawyer friends a lesson in self-reliance by opposing the
involvement of C.F. Andrews, an Englishman in .their unequal fight. His help would be a prop.
This would reflect their weakness. Their cause was just and they must rely on themselves to win
the battle. Thus self-reliance, Indian independence and help to sharecroppers were all bound
together.

Q6. Justify the appropriateness of the title ‘Indigo’ to this extract.

Ans. The title ‘Indigo’ is quite appropriate, to the point and suggestive. It at once focuses our *
attention on the central issue-the exploitation of the indigo sharecropper peasants at the hands of
cruel British planters. They compelled them through a long term agreement to raise indigo on 15
per cent of their landholding and surrender the entire indigo harvest as rent.
After the development of synthetic indigo by Germany, the British planters extracted money
from the peasants as compensation for being released from the 15 per cent agreement. The
peasants who wanted their money back had filed civil suits. The planters who behaved as lords
above the law and were dreaded by the poor were obliged to surrender part of money and with it
part of their prestige.
The extract also points out the work done by Gandhi and his associates to improve the economic,
political, cultural and social fife of the indigo sharecroppers. Their education, health and hygiene
also received due attention. The plight of indigo sharecroppers, then- struggle under Gandhi’s
leadership and ultimate victory when Indigo sharecropping disappeared from important
landmarks. Thus, the title ‘Indigo’ is highly suggestive and apt.

Q7. What impression do you form about Gandhi on reading the chapter ‘Indigo’ ?
Ans. The chapter ‘Indigo’ pays a tribute to the leadership shown by Mahatma Gandhi to secure
justice for oppressed people through convincing argumentation and negotiation. Gandhi had a
magnetic attraction and great persuasive power. He could draw people of all classes to himself
and make them partners in the freedom movement. Even ordinary people were inspired to make
contribution to the freedom movement.
Gandhi emerges as a champion of the downtrodden and the oppressed. Rural uplift was his
favourite programme. His knowledge of legal procedure and respect for law is also highlighted.
He does not want to be a lawbreaker. At the same time he wants to render the humanitarian and
national service in obedience to the higher law of our being, the voice of conscience. He also
appears as a polite and friendly person. Gandhi’s ability to read the minds of others made them
speechless. He believed in self-reliance, just cause and purity of means to achieve India’s
Independence.

Q8. Why is the Champaran episode considered to be the beginning of the Indian struggle
for Independence?
Ans. The Champaran episode began as an attempt to ease the sufferings of a large number of ’
peasants. He got spontaneous support of thousands of people. Gandhi declared that the British
could not order him about in his own country. Under his leadership, the peasants became aware
of their rights. Raj Kumar Shukla, a farmer of Champaran helped him a lot in bringing about the
change. Other peasants too fought courageously and contributed in their own way to the
movement. It resulted in their winning the battle of Champaran. The effects of Gandhi’s method
of non-violence and non-cooperation proved very fruitful in this movement. Hence, it can be said
that the Champaran episode is the beginning of the Indian struggle for independence.
 The Enemy

1. Who was Dr. Sadao and where was his house situated?

Dr. Sadao was a Japanese surgeon and scientist. His house was built on the coast overlooking the
sea, near a narrow beach. The location symbolized his isolation from the war and the world,
reflecting his inner moral conflict between duty and humanity.

2. Why did Dr. Sadao hesitate to help the wounded American soldier?

Dr. Sadao hesitated because the soldier was an enemy, an American prisoner of war. Helping
him could be considered treason against Japan. However, as a doctor, his professional ethics
compelled him to save a dying man regardless of nationality.

3. How did Hana help Dr. Sadao in saving the soldier?

Hana assisted Dr. Sadao during the operation by preparing instruments, sterilizing equipment,
and washing the soldier. Despite her fear and disgust, she supported her husband’s decision,
showing courage and compassion even though she was deeply disturbed by the situation.

4. Why did the servants leave Dr. Sadao’s house?

The servants believed that sheltering an enemy soldier was against their country’s interests and
would bring bad luck. They feared punishment from the authorities and did not want to be
associated with a household defying Japanese loyalty during wartime.

5. How did Dr. Sadao ensure the soldier’s safe escape?

Dr. Sadao arranged for the soldier to escape by giving him a boat, food, bottled water, and extra
clothing. He instructed him to go to a nearby island and signal when safe. This act balanced his
sense of duty and humanity.

6. What inner conflict did Dr. Sadao face?

Dr. Sadao struggled between his patriotic duty as a Japanese citizen and his moral obligation
as a doctor. While loyalty demanded he hand over the enemy, his conscience and medical ethics
urged him to save a human life.

7. Why did the General not punish Dr. Sadao for saving the enemy soldier?

The General needed Dr. Sadao’s medical services and did not want to risk his life by imprisoning
him. He secretly admired Sadao’s skill and promised to send assassins to kill the soldier, though
he later forgot the matter altogether.
8. What qualities of Dr. Sadao are revealed in the story?

Dr. Sadao is portrayed as intelligent, skilled, compassionate, and courageous. Despite being a
loyal Japanese, he follows his conscience and medical ethics. His humanity triumphs over
nationalism, showing his integrity and moral strength.

9. How does the story ‘The Enemy’ reflect the theme of humanity above war?

The story highlights that compassion and moral duty are greater than hatred or nationalism. Dr.
Sadao risks his safety to save an enemy’s life, proving that humanitarian values transcend
political boundaries and wartime enmity.

10. What message does Pearl S. Buck convey through ‘The Enemy’?

Pearl S. Buck conveys that true humanity lies in compassion and moral courage. The story
emphasizes that love, kindness, and ethical duty must prevail even during war. It shows that
individuals can rise above hatred and follow their conscience.

LONG QUESTIONS

1. Describe the moral and ethical dilemma faced by Dr. Sadao in “The Enemy.”
How did he resolve it?

Dr. Sadao’s greatest conflict was between his patriotism and his professional duty as a doctor.
As a loyal Japanese citizen during World War II, he knew that helping an American prisoner of
war was an act of treason. Yet, as a doctor, he was bound by his oath to save life, not destroy it.
His conscience and humanity compelled him to treat the wounded soldier despite the risks.
Sadao and Hana nursed the man back to health, though the servants deserted them out of fear.
Later, realizing the danger, Sadao arranged the soldier’s safe escape instead of handing him to
the police. By doing so, he upheld both his humanity and his loyalty—saving a life without
directly betraying his nation. His decision shows that moral courage transcends national
boundaries.

2. How does the story “The Enemy” highlight the conflict between nationalism
and humanitarianism?

“The Enemy” portrays how war tests the moral values of individuals. Dr. Sadao, a patriotic
Japanese surgeon, finds a wounded American soldier on the shore. Nationalism demands that he
surrender the enemy, but his conscience as a healer urges him to save the dying man. Pearl S.
Buck uses this conflict to show that humanitarianism must prevail over blind nationalism.
Sadao risks his safety and reputation to perform an operation and later ensures the soldier’s safe
departure. The author emphasizes that compassion and empathy are universal values that cannot
be restricted by race, nationality, or political conflict. Through Sadao’s actions, Buck suggests
that true civilization lies in serving humanity, not in following narrow patriotic duties.

3. Discuss the role of Hana in the story. How does she contribute to the central
theme of “The Enemy”?

Hana, Dr. Sadao’s wife, plays a crucial role in supporting her husband’s moral choices. Although
she is initially frightened and disgusted by the sight of the wounded enemy soldier, her
compassion soon overcomes her fear. She assists Sadao during the operation, sterilizes
instruments, and tends to the patient even when the servants abandon them. Her courage and
loyalty highlight the strength of women and their moral sensitivity. Hana represents the
emotional conscience of the story—reminding readers that human values are above prejudice
and fear. Her quiet bravery complements Sadao’s intellectual decision, together forming a
complete picture of moral integrity. Through Hana’s character, Pearl S. Buck reinforces the
message that love, kindness, and empathy are stronger than hatred and war.

[Link] the following sentences into a single sentence using a participle:

A. He finished his homework. He went out to play.

Answer: Having finished his homework, he went out to play.
B. She saw a snake. She screamed loudly.
Answer: Seeing a snake, she screamed loudly.
C. The fog disappeared.
Answer: The sun having risen, the fog disappeared.
D. He failed in the examination. He was disappointed.
Answer: Having failed in the examination, he was disappointed.
E. The thief saw the policeman. He ran away.
Answer: Seeing the policeman, the thief ran away.
F. The teacher entered the class. The students stood up.
Answer: The teacher entering the class, the students stood up.
G. The child lost his toy. He started crying.
Answer: Having lost his toy, the child started crying.
H. He heard the news. He became sad.
Answer: Hearing the news, he became sad.
I. The soldiers saw the enemy. They prepared to fight.
Answer: Seeing the enemy, the soldiers prepared to fight.
J. She entered the room. Everyone stood to greet her.
Answer: Entering the room, she was greeted by everyone