INDIGO -Louis Fischer
About the author:
Louis Fischer (1896-1970) was born in Philadelphia. He served as a volunteer in the British Army between 1918 and 1920. Fischer made a career as a journalist and wrote for The New York Times, Saturday Review and for European and Asian publications.
MAIN POINT OF THE CHAPTER :-
(1)- This chapter deals in detail how Gandhiji freed the poor peasants of Champaran from the clutches of the British planters.
(2)- In 1916 , a poor peasant named Rajkumar shukla approached Gandhiji to come to the help of the peasants in Champaran .
(3)- Gandhiji was very busy during those days but Rajkumar remained by his side all the time. At last, impressed by Rajkumar's tenacity, Gandhiji said, "I have to be in Calcutta on such-and -such a date. Come and meet me and take me from there."
(4)- Rajkumar met Gandhiji on the appointed day . He took Gandhiji to Patna. there he took him to the house of Rajendra Prasad (who later became the President of India). But Rajendra Prasad was then out of town.
(5)- Gandhiji wanted to collect himself a complete information about the plight of the peasants in Champaran. For this, he decided first to go to Muzzafarpur that was on way to Champaran.
(6)- Gandhiji learnt that the peasants in the district of Champaran were sharecroppers. By an ancient agreement, they had to plant indigo on 15 per cent of the land. The entire crop had to be surrendered to the landlords as rent . The peasants were much unhappy over this injustice.
(7)- By this time, Germany had developed synthetic indigo. The British planters found that it was no longer profitable to raise the indigo crop;. So very fraudulently, they obtained the 125 per cent land. While many of the illiterate peasants signed this agreement, others protested. They got lawyers and went to court.
(8)- It was at this point that Gandhiji arrived in Champaran. He met many prominent lawyers of Bihar. They included Rajendra Prasad, Brij Kishor Babu, Maulana Mazharul Huq and many others. They concluded that it was no good for the fear-stricken peasants to go to court. First they must be rid of their fear.
(9)- Gandhiji met a number of government officials but each one of them tried to bully him. Now Gandhiji and the the lawyers started collecting evidences of the injustice being done to the sharecroppers. Thousands of peasants gave their written statements and also offered document for it. There was mountain of evidence against the British planters.
(10)- At last the landlords agreed to pay back the compensation they had illegally collected. But there was some disagreement about the percentage of amount to be paid back. the representative of the landlords said that they were willing to pay only 25 percent. Gandhiji agreed at once . Thus the deadlock was ended.
(11)- Gandhiji explained it to his followers that the amount of the refund was not important. The landlords had to surrender some of the money and, with it, their prestige. So far the planters had been behaving as lords above the law. but now the peasants saw that they had rights and also their defenders. They had gained much courage . Within a few years, the British planters left their estates. These estates now came to the peasants. Indigo sharecropping had disappeared for ever.
(12)- The struggle of of Champaran occupied almost a year of Gandhiji's life. But during this time, he kept an eye on the working of his Ashram in Ahmedabad also. He also worked to improve the social and cultural condition of the villages in Champaran. He gotteachers to teach them in health and hygiene. He also got the services of a doctor to treat their various medical problems.
(13)- The Champaran episode was a turning point in Gandhiji's life. It proved that the British could not order him about in his own country. He taught his people to be self-reliant and independence.
(5)- Gandhiji wanted to collect himself a complete information about the plight of the peasants in Champaran. For this, he decided first to go to Muzzafarpur that was on way to Champaran.
(6)- Gandhiji learnt that the peasants in the district of Champaran were sharecroppers. By an ancient agreement, they had to plant indigo on 15 per cent of the land. The entire crop had to be surrendered to the landlords as rent . The peasants were much unhappy over this injustice.
(7)- By this time, Germany had developed synthetic indigo. The British planters found that it was no longer profitable to raise the indigo crop;. So very fraudulently, they obtained the 125 per cent land. While many of the illiterate peasants signed this agreement, others protested. They got lawyers and went to court.
(8)- It was at this point that Gandhiji arrived in Champaran. He met many prominent lawyers of Bihar. They included Rajendra Prasad, Brij Kishor Babu, Maulana Mazharul Huq and many others. They concluded that it was no good for the fear-stricken peasants to go to court. First they must be rid of their fear.
(9)- Gandhiji met a number of government officials but each one of them tried to bully him. Now Gandhiji and the the lawyers started collecting evidences of the injustice being done to the sharecroppers. Thousands of peasants gave their written statements and also offered document for it. There was mountain of evidence against the British planters.
(10)- At last the landlords agreed to pay back the compensation they had illegally collected. But there was some disagreement about the percentage of amount to be paid back. the representative of the landlords said that they were willing to pay only 25 percent. Gandhiji agreed at once . Thus the deadlock was ended.
(11)- Gandhiji explained it to his followers that the amount of the refund was not important. The landlords had to surrender some of the money and, with it, their prestige. So far the planters had been behaving as lords above the law. but now the peasants saw that they had rights and also their defenders. They had gained much courage . Within a few years, the British planters left their estates. These estates now came to the peasants. Indigo sharecropping had disappeared for ever.
(12)- The struggle of of Champaran occupied almost a year of Gandhiji's life. But during this time, he kept an eye on the working of his Ashram in Ahmedabad also. He also worked to improve the social and cultural condition of the villages in Champaran. He gotteachers to teach them in health and hygiene. He also got the services of a doctor to treat their various medical problems.
(13)- The Champaran episode was a turning point in Gandhiji's life. It proved that the British could not order him about in his own country. He taught his people to be self-reliant and independence.
चंपारण सत्याग्रह 1917.
इंडिगो, लुईस फिसचर ने लिखा है। द लाइफ ऑफ महात्मा गांधी किताब का एक भाग है इंडिगो। सन 1916 में एक गरीब किसान जिनका नाम राजकुमार शुक्ल था वह गांधी जी से मिलने आते है और उन्हें चंपारण ले जाने का आग्रह करते है। क्योंकि चंपारण के किसान ब्रिटिश जमीदारी और बंटाईदारी (तीन कठिया) 3/20 प्रथा से पीड़ित थे तो इस समस्या से निजात दिलाने के लिए गांधी को चंपारण ले जाना चाहता था राजकुमार शुक्ला।
नील की खेती के बाद जमीन की उर्वरक क्षमता खत्म हो जाती थी जिससे किसान बड़े परेशान थे। जो किसान नील नही बोते थे उनसे कर वसूला जाता था।
तभी जर्मनी में कृत्रिम नील की खेती शुरू हुई जो कि ज्यादा लाभदायक थी और इसे ब्रिटिश लैंड लॉर्ड भी अपनाना चाहते थे। यहां उनको किसानों को ज्यादा पैसा देना पड़ रहा था तो उन्होंने किसानों से बेईमानी शुरू कर दी।
LONG ANSWER TYPE QUESTIONS
Q 1- Why do you think Gandhi considered the Champaran episode to be a turning-point in his life.?
Ans- Introduction: The Camparan episode was an attempt to ease the sufferings of large numbers of poor peasants.
Deeper insight : The Champaran episode provided Gandhi a deeper insight into the problems of the poor peasants. He found them fear stricken. They were being crushed. Gandhi came to the conclusion that the law courts could not give justice to the sharecroppers. Hence it was useless to take such cases to courts.
Public co-operation : The peasants did not know Gandhi's record in help them was in trouble with the authorities. Thousands of peasants demonstrated spontaneously around the court house where Gandhi was summoned as a guilty.
The officials felt powerless. They sought Gandhi's cooperation to regulate the crowd. Gandhi was polite and friendly. Gandhi was giving the authorities concrete proof that their might, which was dreaded and unquestioned so far, could be challenged by Indians.
Conclusion : Thus Gandhi considered the Champaran episode to be a turning-point in his life. He declared that the British could not order him about in his own country.
Q 2- How did Gandhi able to influence lawyers? Give instances.?
Ans- Introduction : Rajendra Prasad, Brij Kishore Babu, Maulana Mazharul Huq and several other famous lawyers had arrived from Bihar. They conferred with Gandhi .
First instance: Gandhi ji asked them what they would do if he was sentenced to prison. The senior laewyer replied that they would go home . Gandhi demanded what about the injustice to the sharecroppers. Then the lawyers held consultations. They came to Gandhi and told him they were ready to follow him into jail.
Second instance: Gandhi's lawyer friends thought it would be a good idea for Andrews to stay in Champaran and help them. But Gandhi was vehemently opposed. He said, "The cause is just and you must rely upon yourselves to win the battle. You should not seek a prop in Mr. Andrews because he happens to be an Englishman."
Conclusion: These two instances show that Gandhi was able to influence lawyers.
Q 3- What was the attitude of the average Indian in smaller localities towards advocates of 'home rule'?
Ans- Gandhi ji stayed at Muzzafarpur for two days in the home of professor Malkani who was a teacher in a government school. Gandhi commented, "it was an extraordinary thing in the those dys for a government professor to give refuge man like him."
But the case of an average Indian who lived in smaller localities was altogether different. Every room in his mind was filled completely with slavery. He could not understand his real self. It was totally impossible for him to think that one day he might be the ruler of his own land. His skull was slavery coated. He could not shed away that slave notion.
sympathy for advocates of home-rule.
His slavery, poverty and illiteracy were responsible for such an unfortunate attitude.
Q 4- How do we know that ordinary people too contributed to the freedom movement ?
Ans - In whatever Gandhi did, he tried to mould a new free Indian who could stand on his own feet and thus make Indian free. This new free Indian came from Indian masses- the ordinary men, woman and children.
The first and formost thing of freedom movement was freedom from fear of the Britishers. The ordinary people followed Gandhi because they knew he was their defender and saviour. When the peasants of Motihari came to know that their defender was in trouble with the authorities, they came in thousands, demonstrated around the court house where Gandhi was summoned. This spontaneous around the court house where Gandhi was summoned. This spontaneous demonstration was the beginning of their freedom from fear of the British.
History of freedom movement of India is replete with examples where ordinary people came forward and took part in the movement.
Ans - In whatever Gandhi did, he tried to mould a new free Indian who could stand on his own feet and thus make Indian free. This new free Indian came from Indian masses- the ordinary men, woman and children.
The first and formost thing of freedom movement was freedom from fear of the Britishers. The ordinary people followed Gandhi because they knew he was their defender and saviour. When the peasants of Motihari came to know that their defender was in trouble with the authorities, they came in thousands, demonstrated around the court house where Gandhi was summoned. This spontaneous around the court house where Gandhi was summoned. This spontaneous demonstration was the beginning of their freedom from fear of the British.
History of freedom movement of India is replete with examples where ordinary people came forward and took part in the movement.
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