indigo Flashcards
Why is Rajkumar Shukla described as being ‘resolute’?
Rajkumar Shukla requested Gandhiji to go with him to his area called Champaran. Gandhiji was engaged at that time. However, Shukla did not let go of Gandhiji. He followed him wherever he went. Finally, Gandhiji had to arrange and fix time to go with him. This shows that Shukla was resolute.
Why do you think the servants thought Gandhi to be another peasant?
Gandhiji was quite simple in his dress and manners. He never thought of himself as an extra-ordinary person, nor did he ever try to show off. That is why, servants believed him to be another peasant.
List the places that Gandhi visited between his first meeting with Shukla and his arrival at Champaran.
Gandhiji visited the following places: Patna, Rajendra Prasad’s house, Muzzafarpur, Professor Malkani’s home and lastly Champaran.
What did the peasants pay the British landlords as enthetic indied the British now want instead and why? What would be the impact of synthetic indigo on the prices of
natural indigo?
The peasants had to grow indigo on 15 per cent of their land. This product was submitted as rent to the British landlords. Synthetic indigo was developed by Germany. The landlords thus, did not need to raise indigo on their land any longer. They demanded compensation from the peasants for freeing them from the indigo-raising agreement,
The events in this part of the text illustrate Gandhi’s method of working. Can you identify some instances of this method and link them to his ideas of satyagraha and non-violence?
Gandhiji had always followed the voice of his conscience. He never supported anything immoral. He followed this principle all through his fight against the British injustice. He never paid evil for evil. He followed the principle of non-violence even as the authorities raised blows on him. His path was that of satyagraha—non-violence for truth. Dandi March was a good example of it.
Why did Gandhi agree to a settlement of 25 per cent refund to the farmers?
The whole situation in front of Gandhiji was a deadlock. He wanted to break this
deadlock somehow.
The British planters wanted some excuse for prolonging the dispute with the peasants.
However, Gandhiji proved too wise for them. The deadlock was ended by accepting what the planters wanted. Even so the British had to compromise with their pride. Gandhiji agreed to a settlement of 25 per cent refund to the farmers; in fact, the amount was less important than the fact that the landlords had to be forced to return part of the money and with it, part of their pride and prestige.
So far the planters had behaved as if they were above the law, they had to realise that Britishers were not above the law.
The peasants now saw that they too had rights and defenders, and they learned courage.
The peasants were also saved from the trouble of spending time and money on court cases. Within a few years, the British planters abandoned their estates and left. The land came back to the peasants and this was the end of indigo sharecropping.
How did the episode change the plight of the peasants?
The peasants now had courage. They believed that they had rights which they could defend. Gradually, the British planters left their estates. These estates now came back to the peasants. Indigo sharecropping disappeared permanently. They were no longer indebted to the British planters.
Why do you think Gandhi considered the Champaran episode to be a turning point in his life?
Gandhiji considered the Champaran episode a turning point in his life because this episode released the peasants from the mortal fear of British landlords and made them aware of their rights. Not only this, the farmers got back 25% of the compensation money. They also developed courage. This episode proved to be the beginning of the cultural, social and economic transformation of the poor and badly exploited and terrified peasants. Thus, the British planters were forced to leave the land of the peasants and they became the owners of their lands. This was an attempt to fight injustice and remove sufferings of the peasants. It ignited the feelings of patriotism among simple farmers. It became the first success of Non-cooperation Movement for Gandhiji.
How was Gandhi able to influence lawyers? Give instances.
The lawyers desired Andrews to stay in Champaran and help them. However, Gandhiji opposed them. He said that taking the help of an Englishman would be their weakness.
They should learn to win the battle with their own strength. They should learn to be self-dependent since they were fighting for the right cause.
What was the attitude of the average Indian in smaller localities towards advocates of
‘home rule’?
The average Indian in smaller localities felt afraid to show sympathy for advocates of
‘home rule’. They probably feared the consequences.
How do we know that ordinary people too contributed to the freedom movement?
The ordinary people stood with Gandhiji at every juncture. At Motihari, they flocked in thousands as they learnt that Mahatma had some trouble with the authorities. The ordinary people supported in their own little way. Rajkumar Shukla and Professor Malkani defied all odds and contributed to the fight.
Prof. J. B. Kripalani motivated a large number of students, and welcomed Gandhiji at Muzzafarpur railway station at midnight. The spontaneous demonstration outside the court was also quite significant. Civil disobedience could triumph in India only because of the unity of ordinary people.
”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?
In the chapter, Gandhi makes it possible for the sharecroppers of Champaran to shed their fear of the British landlords. According to him, the first step towards self-reliance is freedom from fear. Unfortunately, the poor people are not free from fear even after the Independence. The poor people live in a continual fear of the police, who instead of taking care, often end up maltreating them. Due to globalisation and the craze for the foreign products, the poor are becoming poorer.
