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Worksheet-cum-Notes Grade 12 Date: - Indigo (Louise Fischer)

1. The document discusses the indigo sharecropping system in Champaran, Bihar in India under British rule. Sharecroppers were forced to plant 15% of their land with indigo and give the entire harvest as rent to landlords. 2. In 1917, the landlords tried to get compensation from sharecroppers after learning indigo could be synthesized, exploiting the sharecroppers' ignorance. Some sharecroppers hired lawyers to fight back while others signed agreements, now wanting refunds. 3. Rajkumar Shukla, a sharecropper, asked Gandhi for help with the injustice. Gandhi visited Champaran and investigated, facing a court summons but refusing to leave

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79 views

Worksheet-cum-Notes Grade 12 Date: - Indigo (Louise Fischer)

1. The document discusses the indigo sharecropping system in Champaran, Bihar in India under British rule. Sharecroppers were forced to plant 15% of their land with indigo and give the entire harvest as rent to landlords. 2. In 1917, the landlords tried to get compensation from sharecroppers after learning indigo could be synthesized, exploiting the sharecroppers' ignorance. Some sharecroppers hired lawyers to fight back while others signed agreements, now wanting refunds. 3. Rajkumar Shukla, a sharecropper, asked Gandhi for help with the injustice. Gandhi visited Champaran and investigated, facing a court summons but refusing to leave

Uploaded by

AMAN KOLE
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Worksheet-cum-Notes

Grade 12 Date: __________


Indigo
(Louise Fischer)
Born: 29 February 1896, Philadelphia,
Pennsylvania, United States
Died: 15 January 1970, Princeton, New Jersey,
United States
The famous American journalist Mr. Louis Fischer
came to India in May 1942. He was in India for
two months. The world war was in full swing. In
the scorching heat of June he spent one week with
Gandhiji’s in this Ashram. Gandhiji’s gave him
one hour daily. He could also talk with Gandhiji’s
during other activities such as eating, walking, etc.
Fisher wrote a book "seven days with the
Mahatma". In this famous book he has described the Ashram life and Gandhiji's likes and dislikes
in a very touching way.
Indigo -This lesson is an extract from the book, ‘The Life of Mahatma Gandhi‘ by Louis Fischer. It
refers to the period when Gandhi went to Champaran in Bihar to learn about the unjust system
which exploited the poor peasants who grew indigo. Gandhi‘s subsequent appearance in court,
The demonstration by peasants and the official enquiry that followed marked the first triumph of
the Civil Disobedience Movement.

Theme: The excerpt talks about the struggle of indigo sharecropper at the hands of the British,
the resilience of a peasant, the leadership of M.K. Gandhi.
Setting: Champaran, Bihar
Genre: Biography
The Indigo Problem
Most of the land under cultivation in Champaran district was divided into large estates owned by
Englishmen. Indian tenants worked for them and the chief commercial crop grown was indigo.
All the Indian tenants had to plant indigo in 15% of their land and give up the entire produce as
rent to their English landlords. In 1917 the landlords had learnt that Germany had developed
synthetic indigo. Thus the British were not interested in getting any more of the indigo crop. To
cut their losses and taking advantage of the ignorance of the peasants, they now insisted that the
Indian tenants pay them compensation so that they could be released from the 15% agreement.
The sharecroppers (those who were growing indigo) refused and engaged lawyers to fight their
case. The landlords on the other hand hired thugs to counter this. Also, some sharecroppers had
signed the agreement when they learnt about the synthetic indigo. Now they wanted their money
back from the English landlords.
Sample Answers

1. Why did Rajkumar Shukla want to meet Gandhiji?


Ans. Raj Kumar Shukla was a sharecropper from Champaran. He was illiterate but resolute. He
had come to the Congress session to complain about the injustice of the landlord system in Bihar.
He was sure that Gandhiji could help them. He wanted Gandhiji to come to Champaran district.
2. What was the main problem of Sharecroppers in Champaran?
Ans. 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 after receiving summon to appear in court the next day?
Ans. Gandhiji received a summon to appear in the court but disobeyed the order. He remained
awaken all night. He telegraphed Rajendra Prasad to come from Bihar with influential friends. He
sent instructions to the ashram. He wired a full report to the Viceroy.
4. How did Civil Disobedience triumph for the first time in modern India?
Ans. Gandhiji did not obey the British authorities, order to leave Chamapran. The summons was
also served but he remained firm. Then he received a written communication from the magistrate
that the Lieutenant Governor of the Province had ordered the case to be dropped.
5. How did Gandhi work for rural upliftment during his stay in Champaran?
Hint- Gandhi ji appealed for teachers and doctors Primary schools were opened Mrs Kasturba
Gandhi and several other volunteers helped - Narhari Parikh, Mahadev Desai, Devdas (Youngest
son of Gandhi) personal and community cleanliness stressed.
6. What message did the Champaran episode carry?
Value Points
• Justice can be achieved through negotiation and oppression must be fought against.
• Determination, freedom from fear and self-reliance must be developed otherwise we will always
be dominated over and never be free.
7. What according to Gandhi was more important than getting legal justice for the peasants?
Value points
• Farmers were crushed and fearful and had limited resources so legal battles were difficult and
not very helpful. Also legal justice would bring them limited profits.
• They needed lessons in courage so that they could fight oppression and not allow anyone to ever
take advantage of them.

Writing Task

1. Why did Gandhiji not consider it important to bargain over the 25 percent settlement?
2. How was Gandhiji able to influence the lawyers?
3. What ―conflict of duties did Gandhiji experience?
4. When did Civil Disobedience triumph in India for the first time?
5. On the basis of the lesson Indigo write a character sketch of Gandhi in 150 words.
6. Why did Gandhiji consider the Chamapran episode to be a turning point in his life? (150-
200)

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