UNIT – 5

Indigo
Louis Fischer

Theme of the Lesson

The chapter displays the importance of effective leadership in improving the lives of people. The
author tells us a few reasons which made Mahatma Gandhiji famous and loved by the masses.
He was concerned about the plight of the poor and fought for their rights. He also made efforts
to uplift them and taught them [Link] lesson gives us a message that leadership along
with empathy are vital for someone to become a people’s person.

Indigo – What is this lesson about?

The story is based on the interview taken by Louis Fischer of Mahatma Gandhi. In order to write
on him, he had visited him in 1942 at his ashram- Sevagram where he was told about the Indigo
Movement started by Gandhiji. The story revolves around the struggle of Gandhi and other
prominent leaders in order to safeguard sharecroppers from the atrocities of landlords.

Summary
Mahatma Gandhi's initiation of the British departure from India began in 1917 with the
Champaran incident, recounted to Louis Fischer in 1942.
Rajkumar Shukla, a poor sharecropper, urged Gandhi to visit Champaran to help peasants
suffering under an oppressive indigo contract. Gandhi was initially busy but was so impressed
by Shukla's persistence that he eventually agreed to visit.
Upon arrival, Gandhi gathered information, defying an official order to leave. When a case was
filed against him, lawyers rallied to his support, consenting to go to jail. This unprecedented
mass support forced the authorities to drop the case. Later, an inquiry commission found the
planters guilty. Gandhi accepted a 25% refund offer, prioritizing freedom from the contract. He
then worked to improve living conditions by opening schools and providing medical aid. This
event taught Indians self-reliance, signalling that they did not need British advice in their own
country.
 Think About Text
Q1- Why do you think Gandhi considered the Champaran episode to be a turning point in his
life?
Ans- The Champaran event had solved various problems faced by the poor peasants. They were
relieved from the torture they had to face at the hands of the landlords. Thousands of people
supported him. This was considered as a turning point in the life of Gandhi. He once said that
what he did was an ordinary thing as he didn’t want the Britishers to order him in his own
country.
Q2- How was Gandhi able to influence lawyers? Give instances.
Ans- Gandhi asked the lawyers about their course of action if he was sentenced to jail. They
answered that they would return back. He then asked them about the plight of the peasants.
This made them realize their duty towards the social issue and they decided to go to jail with
Gandhi.
Q3- What was the attitude of the average Indian in smaller localities towards advocates of
‘home rule’?
Ans- The average Indians in smaller localities did not support the advocates of Home Rule as
they feared to go against the British government. For Gandhi it was surprising that Professor
Malkani allowed him to stay at his home even though he was a government teacher.
Q4-How do we know that ordinary people too contributed to the freedom movement?
Ans- Ordinary people too contributed to the freedom movement. This can be justified by the
following events:
• A large number of students accompanied Prof. J.B Kriplani to welcome Gandhi at
Muzzafarpur railway station.
• Peasants also came to see him either on foot or by conveyance.
• A large number of people gathered to demonstrate around the courtroom.

Previous Years Question

Q1. Why did Gandhiji feel that taking the Champaran case to court was useless?|
(Delhi 2014 Modified)
Ans. When Gandhiji learned about the plight of the peasant groups in Champaran from his
discussions with lawyers, he concluded that the poor peasants were so crushed and terrified
that the law courts were useless in their case. Going to court cost the sharecroppers a lot of
money in legal fees. What was really needed was to free them from their fear.
Q2. How did the Champaran peasants react when they heard that a Mahatma had come to
help them? (Compartment 2014)
Ans. When the Champaran peasants learned that a Mahatma had arrived to assist them, a
large crowd gathered in Motihari. Thousands of peasants demonstrated outside the
courthouse where Gandhiji was scheduled to appear. The crowd was so unruly that the
officials felt powerless, and Gandhiji himself assisted the authorities in keeping the crowd
under control.
Q3. Why did Gandhiji object to CF Andrews’ stay in Champaran? (Foreign 2009)|
Ans. CF Andrews, an English pacifist, was a devoted Gandhiji follower. The lawyers believed
that Andrews, as an Englishman, could be of great assistance to them in their battle of
Champaran. Gandhiji, on the other hand, was opposed because he believed that enlisting the
assistance of an Englishman demonstrated weakness. Their cause was just, and they needed to
win by relying on themselves. This would enable them to be self-sufficient.
Q4. Why do you think Gandhi considered the Champaran episode to be a turning point in his
life? (All India 2011)
Ans. The Champaran incident began as an attempt to relieve the suffering of poor peasants. It
was ultimately a watershed moment in Gandhiji’s life because it was a loud proclamation that
made the British realize Gandhiji could not be ordered around in his own country. It instilled in
the masses the courage to question British authority and laid the groundwork for non-
cooperation as a new tool for fighting the British tooth and nail.
Q5. Why do you think the servants thought Gandhi to be another peasant? (Delhi 2010)
Ans. Rajkumar Shukla, the servants knew, was a poor farmer who pestered their master to
help the indigo sharecroppers. They mistook Gandhiji for a peasant because he accompanied
Shukla and was dressed simply. Gandhiji’s modesty and lack of assertiveness led to the
misconception that he was a peasant.
Q6. The peasants were themselves the most crucial agents in the success of the Champaran
Civil Disobedience. Expand. (CBSE QB,2021)
Ans. The peasants played a critical role in the Champaran Civil Disobedience’s victory. This is
because the movement would have been a disaster if they had not stood up to Gandhiji and
trusted him. Gandhiji could not have won Champaran by himself; the peasants were the
movement’s supporters.
Q7. Gandhi makes it clear that money and finance are a secondary aspect of the struggle in
Champaran. Comment on the aspect that you think was most important for Gandhi. (CBSE
QB,2021)
Ans. Gandhiji’s perseverance, determination, and resolve led to his success in Champaran. He
went to Champaran at the request of an illiterate peasant, where he listened to
sharecroppers’ grievances and launched the Civil Disobedience Movement. He was victorious,
and the landlords relinquished their claims to their estates, which were returned to the
farmers. They gained courage and realized that they, too, could defend themselves. The
landlords were forced to give up some of their money and prestige. As a result, Gandhiji broke
the impasse between farmers and landlords.
Q8. Gandhi was a lawyer himself. Examine how his professional expertise helped in
Champaran. (CBSE QB,2021)
[Link] peasants had no voice and no recourse in court against the landlords’ unfair
dealings. When Gandhiji arrived on the scene, he assessed the situation and declared that
there was no point in engaging in litigation because law courts would be unable to provide
justice to the peasants. He felt it was necessary to teach these oppressed farmers how to be
brave. He realized that they would never feel relieved until and unless they got over their fear
of the Britishers. As a result, he prioritized peasant empowerment and empowerment over
legal battles for them.
Q9. Explain the possible reasons for Gandhi’s quick popularity among the peasants of
Champaran. (CBSE QB,2021)
Ans. Gandhiji stayed in Champaran after his victory. During his stay, he realized that the
Champaran people were culturally and socially backward, so he decided to work on this front
as well. He decided to open primary schools and teach the people of Champaran about
personal hygiene, community cleanliness, and other topics. Kasturba Gandhi, Gandhi’s wife,
joined him in this movement. Gandhiji’s ascetic lifestyle, as well as his use of the dhoti and
charkha, contributed to his popularity among peasants. Thus, through his firm determination
and consistent efforts, he was able to effect change in the lives of ordinary people.
Q10. “The battle of Champaran is won!.” What led Gandhiji to make this remark? (Foreign
2010) OR
When Gandhi got the whole hearted support of the lawyers, he said, „The battle of
Champaran is won‟. What was the essence behind his statement? (CBSE Sample Paper 2018)
Ans. If Gandhiji was arrested, the lawyers first decided to return home. But they quickly
realized their error. When they declared that they would fight for the peasants’ cause if
Gandhiji was arrested and volunteered to go to court for the sharecroppers’ cause, Gandhiji
was overjoyed and exclaimed, “The battle of Champaran is won!”
Q11. As the host of a talk show, introduce Rajkumar Shukla to the audience by stating any
two of his defining qualities. You may begin your answer like this: Meet Rajkumar Shukla,
the man who played a pivotal role in the Champaran Movement. He …… (CBSE Sample Paper
2021)
Ans. Meet Rajkumar Shukla, an important figure in the Champaran Movement. He was
determined to meet Gandhiji and protest the injustice of the landlord system in Bihar. His
persistence persuaded Gandhiji to look into the matter and resolve the sharecroppers’ issue.

Character Sketch
Character Sketch of Rajkumar Shukla
• Persistent and Determined:
Shukla, a simple peasant, tirelessly pursued Gandhi to help the Champaran farmers, even if it
meant accompanying him everywhere for weeks.
• Brave and Resolute:
Despite being illiterate and poor, he had the courage to approach Gandhi for help and
remained committed to his cause of fighting injustice.
• Resourceful:
He went to great lengths to secure Gandhi's assistance, traveling with him to different cities
and following him to his ashram.
Character Sketch of Mahatma Gandhi
• Empathetic and Just:
Gandhi was moved by the plight of the sharecroppers and believed in fighting for their rights
against exploitation.
• Strategic and Decisive:
He was a strategic thinker who organized the peasants, gathered evidence, and used non-
violent methods to challenge the British administration.
• Committed to Empowering the Poor:
He not only fought for the farmers' cause but also worked to build their self-confidence and
self-reliance by setting up schools, hospitals, and providing medical aid.
 Key Points Remember
Champaran peasant struggle and victory
• Forced indigo cultivation:
British planters forced Indian sharecroppers to grow indigo on 15% of their land and surrender
the harvest as rent.
• Post-synthetic indigo:
After Germany developed synthetic indigo, the landlords demanded compensation from
peasants who had grown indigo, leading to widespread discontent.
• Gandhi's intervention:
Rajkumar Shukla persuaded Gandhi to visit Champaran, where Gandhi organized peasants and
lawyers to fight for their rights, leading to a year-long legal and political battle.
• Peaceful resistance:
Gandhi's refusal to obey government orders and his subsequent trial brought the case to
public attention and demonstrated the power of civil disobedience.
• Justice achieved:
The case was dropped, and the landlords eventually agreed to refund part of the
compensation money, breaking the deadlock.

Social and educational reforms

• Focus on self-reliance:
Gandhi emphasized that the peasants and their lawyers must rely on themselves to win the
battle and build a new, free India.
• Improvement of conditions:
After the legal victory, Gandhi initiated social reforms to improve the peasants' health,
sanitation, and education.

Key themes and lessons

• Non-violent resistance:
The story highlights how truth and non-violence can be powerful weapons against injustice.
 • Leadership:
It shows how a compassionate leader can understand and address the problems of the
common people, connecting politics with their daily struggles.
• Empowerment:
The chapter illustrates how ordinary people can gain courage and believe in their own power
to create change through collective action.