AMBER INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL
ACADEMIC YEAR 2024-25
NOTES
GRADE: XII SUB: ENGLISH (flamingo)
5. Indigo
Louis Fischer
Summary
“Indigo” portraits Gandhiji’s struggle for the poor peasants of Champaran. He
managed to get justice after a yearlong battle for the peasants. He also made
arrangements for the education, health and hygiene for the families of the poor
peasants. He gave them the lesson of self-reliance.
Raj Kumar Shukla- A poor sharecropper from Champaran wishing to meet
Gandhiji.
Raj Kumar Shukla- an illiterate but resolute (determined) hence followed
Gandhiji to Lucknow, Kanpur, Ahemdabad, Calcutta, Patna, Muzzafarpur &
then Champaran.
Servants at Rajendra Prasad’s residence thought Gandhi to be an untouchable
because of his simple living style, scanty clothes and company of Raj Kumar
Shukla.
Decided to go to Muzzafarpur first to get detailed information about
Champaran sharecropper.
Sent telegram to J B Kriplani and stayed in Prof. Malkani’s home - a
government servant.
Gandhiji went to the British Official Commissioner who asked him to leave
Trihut, Gandhiji disobeyed, went to Motihari the capital of Champaran where a
vast multitude greeted him, continued his investigations.
Indians afraid to show sympathy to the supporters of home rule.
The news of Gandhi’s arrival spread- sharecroppers gathered in large number
to meet their champion.
Gandhiji chided the Muzzafarpur lawyer for taking high fee.
Champaran district was divided into estate owned by English people, Indians
only tenant farmers.
Landlords compelled tenants to plant 15% of their land with indigo and
surrender their entire harvest as rent.
In the meantime Germany had developed synthetic indigo –British landlords
freed the Indian farmers from the 15% arrangement but asked them to pay
compensation.
Many signed, some resisted, engaged lawyers, landlords hired thugs.
Gandhiji reached Champaran- visited the secretary of the British landlord
association to get the facts but denied as he was an outsider.
Visited maltreated villagers, stopped by the police superintendent but
disobeyed the order.
Motihari black with peasants’ spontaneous demonstrations, Gandhi released
without bail Civil Disobedience triumphed.
Gandhiji agreed to 25% refund by the landowners, it symbolized the surrender
of the prestige.
Gandhiji worked hard towards social economic reforms, elevated their distress
aided by his wife, Mahadev Desai, Narhari Parikh.
Gandhiji taught a lesson of self-reliance by not seeking help of an English man
Mr. Andrews.
I. EXTRACT BASED QUESTIONS
But Champaran did not begin as an act of defiance. It grew out of an attempt to alleviate
the distress of large numbers of poor peasants. This was the typical Gandhi pattern — his
politics were intertwined with the practical, day- to-day problems of the millions. His was
not a loyalty to abstractions; it was a loyalty to living, human beings. In everything
Gandhi did, moreover, he tried to mould a new free Indian who could stand on his own
feet and thus make India free.
i) Choose the option listing the sentence that is the most appropriate example of an ‘act
of defiance’, from the following:
She picked up the telephone terrified of what was about to come. She could hear
nobody on the other side. Meanwhile, there was a thud at the door loud enough to scare
her. Curious as she was, she wanted to open it as soon as possible. Her mother tried to
stop her several times, but she went ahead, nevertheless.
a) She picked up the telephone terrified of what was about to come.
b) Meanwhile, there was a thud at the door loud enough to scare her.
c) Curious as she was, she wanted to open it as soon as possible.
d) Her mother tried to stop her several times but she went ahead nevertheless.
ii) Choose the correct option with reference to the two statements given below.
Statement 1: His was not a loyalty to abstractions; it was a loyalty to living, human
beings.
Statement 2: Gandhi was a humanitarian at heart.
a) Statement 1 is the cause of Statement 2.
b) Statement 2 is the effect of Statement 1.
c) Statement 2 can be inferred from Statement 1.
d) Statement 1 and Statement 2 are independent of each other.
iii) The given extract DOES NOT talk about
a) details of the daily problems faced by human beings.
b)efforts to relieve suffering of the common people.
c)the reason for the occurrence of Champaran.
d) Gandhi’s principles in the field of politics.
iv) Which option showcases an example of action (A) -result (R), from the
passage?
1.
A= defiance
R= poor peasants
2.
A= free Indians
R= free India
3.
A= free India
R= defiance
4.
A= defiance
R= free Indians
a) Option 1
b) Option 2
c) Option 3
d) Option 4
Ans) i. (d) ii. (c) iii. (a) iv. (b)
I. SHORT ANSWER QUESTIONS (30-40 Words)
1. Why is Raj Kumar Shukla described as ‘resolute’?
Ans.
Resolute means showing great determination. Raj Kumar Shukla wanted
Gandhiji to accompany him to his village Champaran. Gandhiji was busy as
he had to visit other parts of India. Shukla followed him everywhere for
months. Finally, Gandhiji had to fix a date to visit Champaran. This incident
describes Shukla as resolute.
1. 2. What was the main problem of Sharecroppers in Champaran?
2.
3. Ans.
4.
The land was divided into large estates that were owned by Englishmen.
The Chief commercial crop was indigo. The landlord forced all the tenants
to plant 15 percent of their holdings with indigo and surrender the entire
indigo harvest as rent. This was done by a long term contract.
3. How did Gandhiji react to the Commissioner’s advice? Where did he go?
Ans.
Gandhiji began by trying to get the facts. First he visited the secretary of the
British landlord’s association. The secretary told him that they could give
no information to an outsider. Then Gandhiji called on the British official
commissioner of the Tirhut division Gandhiji was asked to leave the
division at once by the commissioner. He did not leave; instead, he
proceeded to Motihari, the capital of Champaran.
4.Why did Gandhiji agree to a settlement of 25% refund to the farmers?
Ans.
Gandhiji agreed to a settlement of 25% refund to the farmers, because
he felt that money was less important than the fact that the landlords had
been obliged to surrender part of their money and prestige. At that stage,
what was more important was that for the first time, the peasant saw that
he had rights and defenders. The peasants gained courage. Money was
less important than their self-esteem and constitutional rights.
5.How did the Champaran episode change the plight of the peasants?
Ans.
The episode of Champaran changed the plight of the peasants to a great
extent. The peasants gained confidence and courage, which was evident in
their spontaneous demonstration on the morning of Gandhiji's trial. After
the successful refund of the compensation, they realised that they had
their rights and defenders. The episode liberated them from the fear of the
cruel British system that had plagued them.
6.Why was Gandhiji opposed to C.F.Andrews helping him in Champaran?
Ans.
As C.F. Andrews was a foreigner, Gandhiji opposed to take any help from
him. Though Andrews was a social worker in Champaran and was a great
follower of Gandhiji. He felt that a foreigner’s help should not be sought to
free India of the Englishmen. According to him self-reliance was of utmost
importance.
7. 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 ……
Ans.
Meet Rajkumar Shukla, the man who played a pivotal role in the
Champaran Movement. He was illiterate but resolute. It was his
determination and resolution to take Mahatma Gandhi to Champaran to
fight against the injustice of the British landlords. The movement instilled
courage in the peasants and was the beginning of India’s freedom struggle.
Let’s welcome him wholeheartedly to the show
QUESTIONS TO BE SOLVED BY THE STUDENTS
8. What were the conditions of sharecroppers of Champaran?
9. How was Gandhiji treated at Rajendra Prasad’s house?
III. LONG ANSWER QUESTIONS(120-150)
1.Which factors helped the fear-stricken peasants of Champaran to achieve
freedom?
Ans. The peasants were sharecroppers with the British planters. According to an
old agreement, the peasants had to produce indigo on 15 percent of the land
and give it as rent to the landlords. Meantime, Germany had developed
synthetic indigo. So, the British did not require the indigo crop. To release
the farmers from old agreement, they demanded compensation from them.
As most of the farmers were illiterate, they agreed to it. Some of them
refused to do so. Lawyers were then engaged to take the matter to the court.
At that time, Gandhiji appeared in Champaran. He fought a long battle for
the poor peasants and managed to get justice for them. The peasants now
became fearless and became aware about their rights. Along with the
political and economic struggle, Gandhiji worked on the social level also.
He arranged for the education, health and hygiene of the peasants. They
were self-reliant and thus, free from rule of British people.
2. What was the attitude of the average Indian in smaller localities towards advocates of
home rule?
Ans. Before Gandhi descended on the scene, there was no resistance, no
mass movement in India. The average common Indian had resigned to
his fate. He allowed himself to be victimized by the British landlords
and the officials. The condition of the people, particularly of the poor
peasants, was terrible. There was large scale exploitation of the poor
by the authorities. The general attitude of the average Indian in smaller
localities was that of a quiet surrender to their status. Those few, who
raised their voice against the British, were tortured. Those who
advocated home-rule in India were not given shelter. At times, they
were threatened, humiliated and arrested. On account of this treatment,
the small-town people were afraid and indifferent even to show
sympathy for the people demanding home-rule. If someone did, it was
considered an extraordinary thing those days.
QUESTIONS TO BE SOLVED BY THE STUDENTS
3. 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?
Discuss.
4. What steps were taken by Gandhiji to solve the problems of Social and cultural
backwardness in the villages of Champaran?
