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Indigo by Louis Fischer for class 12 English (Flamingo) CBSE (Summary, Explanation, vocabulary/ word meaning, literary devices, and question-answer)

 

INDIGO

By Louis Fischer

(1896-1970)

Detailed summary, difficult words and their meaning, extract-based questions and their answer, and very short questions and their answer








INTRODUCTION

"Indigo" is an account from Louis Fischer's book' The Life of Mahatma Gandhi'. It deals with India's freedom struggle and Gandhiji's civil disobedience. The story is based on the interview of Mahatma Gandhi by Louis Fischer. To write about him, he visited his ashram- Sevagram in 1942. The author has written how Gandhiji fought a battle for about a year against the British landlords' injustice and exploitation of the sharecroppers.


About the author

Louis Fischer was an American Journalist and writer. He is renowned for his writings on international affairs. Born in Philadelphia, he initially worked as a school teacher before turning to journalism. His notable works include "The Life of Mahatma Gandhi,". Fischer was a correspondent for “The Nation”.





DIFFICULT WORDS AND THEIR MEANINGS



  • Convention: Formal meeting

  • Delegates: Representatives

  • Peasant: farmer

  • Emaciated: thin/weak

  • Sharecroppers: a tenant farmer who gives a part of each crop as rent.

  • Resolute: determined

  • Tenacity: determination

  • Haunches: a buttock and thigh considered together

  • Boarded: got on, enter

  • Yeoman: a man who cultivates a small piece of land

  • Pestered: bother/ harass

  • En route: on the way

  • Imparting: providing /giving

  • Harbour: shelter/hide

  • Advocate:   supporter/protector

  • Advent: arrival

  • Conveyance: transportation

  • Chided: criticise/scold

  • Fear stricken: afraid

  • Arable: land suitable for farming

  • Tenants: occupants paying rent in cash or kind

  • Estate: property

  • Compelled: forced

  • Surrendered: to give in

  • Contract: agreement

  • Indigo: a plant that produces a blue colour

  • Synthetic: Chemical-based/artificial

  • Compensation: payments  in return

  •  Irksome: irritating

  • Resisted: opposed

  • Thugs: a violent person, especially a criminal

  • Bully: trying to harm others considering them to be weak

  • Forthwith: immediately/at once

  • Multitude: a large number of people/crowd

  • Investigations: inquiries

  • Maltreated: ill-treated

  • Complied: followed/obeyed

  • Consequence: result

  • Influential: powerful

  • Wired: Telegraphed

  • Merely: only

  • Spontaneous: voluntary/unforced

  • Demonstrations: protest

  • Concrete: solid

  • Hitherto: until now

  • Dreaded: feared

  • Baffled: confused 

  • Prosecutor: Lawyer/barrister

  • Postpone: delay

  • Apparently: seemingly/evidently

  • Pleading guilty: to admit and declare that one is guilty    

  • Conflict: to be against someone

  • Humanitarian: Concerned with human welfare

  • Conscience: a moral sense of right and wrong

  • Pronounce: declare/announce

  • Reconvened: to start again after a small break

  • Prominent: Important/ well known

  • Conferred: exchange opinions

  • Withdrew: left

  • Upshot: result/conclusion

  • Consultations: discussion

  • Desertion: action of leaving a place, organisation etc

  • Province: region/territory

  • Civil Disobedience: a peaceful form of political protest

  • Triumphed: won/got victory

  • Grievances: complaints

  • Depositions: a formal written statement

  • Throbbed: produced a lot of vibrations

  • Vehement: forceful

  •  Summoned: called

  •  Associates: supporters

  •  Protracted: lasting long

  • Uninterrupted: continuous

  • Entreaty: an earnest or humble request

  • Deceitfully: dishonestly

  • Extorted: took forcibly

  • Adamant: firm

  • Amazement: surprise

  • Deadlock: a situation in which no progress can be made

  • Unanimously: without opposition

  • Prestige: honour

  • Defenders: protectors

  • Abandoned: deserted

  • Reverted: returned

  • Contented: satisfied

  • Defiance: opposition

  • Alleviate: uplift

  • Distress: sadness/suffering

  • Intertwined: to be connected 

  • Abstractions: something which exists only as an idea.

  • Pacifist: Peacemaker/a person who opposes war or violence

  • Vehemently: forcefully/ in an intense manner

  • Self Reliance: self-sufficiency

  • Prop: support


SUMMARY/EXPLANATION & QUESTIONS-ANSWER OF "INDIGO"


When I first visited Gandhi In 1942……. It was in 1917.


  • According to the author, Louis Fischer, he met Gandhiji in 1942 in his ashram in Sevagram, Central India. In this meeting, Gandhiji informed Louis Fischer when and why he decided to ask the Britishers to leave India.


Q. When and where did Louis Fischer meet Gandhiji?

Ans. In 1942 in Gandhiji's ashram in Sevagram.

Q. Was it the first visit of Louis Fischer to Gandhiji's ashram?

Ans. It was Louis Fischer's first visit to Gandhiji's ashram in Sevagram.

Q. What did Gandhiji inform Louis Fischer in the meeting?

Ans. Gandhiji informed that it was in 1917 that he decided that one day he would ask the Britishers to leave India.


He had gone to the December 1916 annual convention of the Indian National Congress party in Lucknow……….. come and meet me and take me from there. 


  • Gandhiji had gone to attend the Annual Convention of the Indian National Congress Party in Lucknow in December 1916. There were around 2301 representatives from all over the country. One of the representatives was Rajkumar Shukla.

  • According to Gandhiji Shukla came to meet him and said that he was from Champaran. Gandhiji had never heard the name of the place.  Champaran is in the foothills of the Himalayas. It is near Nepal.

  • Rajkumar Shukla looked like any other peasant of India. He was poor as well as emaciated. 

  • Rajkumar Shukla had attended the Lucknow Convention to complain about the sharecropping system in  Champaran. Therefore, he went to  Gandhiji and requested him to visit Champaran. But Gandhiji refused him saying that he had so many appointments including one in Cawnpore. But Shukla did not leave Gandhiji’s side. He accompanied Gandhiji everywhere. When Gandhiji returned his ashram, Shukla once again requested him to fix the date to visit Champaran.

  • Gandhiji consented to visit Champaran because he was very much impressed by the tenacity(determination) of Rajkumar Shukla. Moreover, he was moved after listening to the stories of injustice and exploitation.

  • Gandhiji asked Rajkumar Shukla to visit Calcutta on a particular date and take him to Champaran. 


Q. Where did the Annual Convention of the Indian National Congress party take place in December 1916?

Ans. Lucknow 

Q. How many delegates attended the Lucknow Convention of the Indian National Congress?

Ans. 2301

Q. What did Rajkumar Shukla want from Gandhiji?

Ans. Rajkumar Shukla wanted Gandhiji to visit Champaran and solve the problem of the sharecroppers.

Q. How did Gandhiji describe Rajkumar Shukla?

Ans. According to Gandhiji Rajkumar Shukla was looking like any other peasant of India. He was weak, poor and illiterate. But he was resolute.

Q. Why did Rajkumar Shukla attend the Annual Convention of the Indian National Congress in Lucknow?

Ans. To complain about the injustice and exploitation of the farmers by the British landlords.

Q. What was Gandhiji's response when Rajkumar Shukla requested him to visit Champaran?

Ans. Gandhiji refused to visit Champaran saying he had so many appointments including one in Cownpore.

Q. What did Rajkumar Shukla do when Gandhiji refused to visit Champaran?

Ans. Rajkumar Shukla was so determined that he did not leave Gandhiji's side for weeks. Wherever Gandhiji went, he accompanied him, and when he returned to his ashram, once again Shukla requested him to fix the day to visit Champaran.

Q. Why did Gandhiji agree to visit Champaran?

Ans. He agreed to visit Champaran first because he was very much impressed by Rajkumar Shukla's determination and when he heard the story of injustice and atrocities by the British landlords.

Q. Where did Gandhiji ask Shukla to reach and take him to Champaran?

Ans. Gandhiji asked Shukla to reach Calcutta on a particular date and take him to Champaran.


Months passed Shukla was sitting on his haunches at the appointed spot in Calcutta when Gandhi arrived he waited till ……………. How did know that he was not an untouchable?


  • Gandhiji did not fix the date of next week or next month, but a few months ahead. But still, Rajkumar Shukla reached the appointed date and place in Calcutta to take Gandhiji to Champaran. Once again this shows Rajkumar Shukla's determination.

  • When Gandhiji became free both Rajkumar Shukla and he boarded a train to Patna. In Patna Shukla took Gandhiji to Rajendra Prasad’s house. In those days he was a famous lawyer of Bihar and later on, he became the President of the  Indian National Congress as well as the first President of independent India. Shukla was known to Rajendra Prasad's servants as a frequent visitor. That's why, they allowed him and Gandhiji to sit on the house floor in Rajendra Prasad's absence. However, they did not allow Gandhiji to draw water from the well because they were not sure whether he was untouchable or not. In case, he was an untouchable and, even a drop of water fell, the whole source of water would be polluted.


Q. From where did Rajkumar Shukla take Gandhiji to Champaran?

Ans. From Calcutta

Q. Why did the servants of Rajendra Prasad allow Gandhiji to sit on the floor?

Ans. Shukla used to be a frequent visitor. All the servants were well known to him. Therefore, they took Gandhiji another farmer and allowed him to sit on the floor along with Shukla.

Q. Why did the servants not allow Gandhiji to draw water from the well?

Ans. The servants suspected that Gandhiji might be an untouchable. They thought even if a drop of water fell the whole source would be polluted. That's why, they did not allow Gandhiji to draw water from the well.


Gandhi decided to go first to Muzzafarpur which was en route to Champaran…….. advocates of home rule. 


  • Gandhiji decided to go to Muzzafarpur first because of two reasons: first, it was en route to Champaran. Moreover, Gandhiji wanted to collect more information about the sharecropping system. There is no doubt that Shukla had provided him with a lot of information but that was not sufficient.

  • Gandhiji was known to a person in Muzzafarpur named J B Kripalani, a Professor at Arts College Muzzafarpur. Gandhiji had met him at Shantiniketan. Therefore Gandhiji sent a telegram to Professor J B Kripalani and informed him about his arrival.

  • The train reached at midnight. Still, Professor J B Kripalani was present at the station with a large number of students. 

  • In Muzzafarpur Gandhiji stayed at Professor Malkani's house. He was a government school teacher. According to Gandhiji the very action of Professor Malkani to shelter him was something extraordinary. In smaller towns, the advocates of home rule were not given shelter.


Q. Where did Gandhiji visit prior to Champaran?

Ans. Gandhiji visited Muzzafarpur before Champaran.

Q Why did Gandhiji visit Muzzafarpur before Champaran?

Ans. First of all, Muzzafarpur was en route to Champaran. Moreover, Gandhiji wanted to collect more information about the sharecropping system as the details provided by Rajkumar Shukla were not sufficient.

Q. Who was JB Kripalani?

Ans. Professor at Arts college Muzzafarpur. 

Q. Where did Gandhiji meet JB kripalani?

Ans. Gandhiji met JB kripalani at Tagore's Shantiniketan. 

Q. Whom did Gandhiji send the telegram and why?

Ans. Gandhiji sent a telegram to Professor JB Kripalani and informed him about his arrival.

Q. What kind of welcome or reception did Gandhiji receive after reaching Muzzafarpur?

Ans. After reaching Muzzafarpur Gandhiji got a warm and cordial welcome. Although the train reached midnight, Kripalani was waiting at the station with a large number of students to receive Gandhiji.

Q. Who harboured Gandhiji?

Ans. Professor Malkani, a government school teacher, harboured Gandhiji.

Q. What was extraordinary for Gandhiji?

Ans. Those days the advocates of home rule were not given shelter in smaller towns. But Professor Malkani, despite being a government school teacher, gave shelter to Gandhiji. This action was extraordinary.


The news of Gandhi's advent and of the nature of his mission spread quickly through Muzzafarpur and to Champaran ………. The real relief for them is to be free from fear 


  • As soon as Gandhiji reached Muzzafarpur, a lot of people came to see him. 

  • Gandhiji's main purpose in visiting Muzzafarpur was to collect information about the sharecropping system prevailing in Champaran. That's why, first, he had a meeting with the lawyers who briefed him about the case as well as the fees they were charging.

  • Gandhiji scolded the lawyers because they were charging high fees to the poor peasants. Further Gandhiji said that the peasants were afraid as well as poor and therefore it would be useless to go to the court. Gandhiji expressed that the first thing to be done was to remove the fear of the farmers.


Q. Who refers to the champion?

Ans. Mahatma Gandhi. 

Q. What did the lawyers tell Gandhiji?

Ans. The lawyers briefed Gandhiji about the sharecropping system as well as the amount they had been charging as fees.

Q. What was Gandhiji's reaction after he met with the lawyers?

Ans. First of all, Gandhiji chided the lawyers for charging high fees to the poor peasants. Further, he added that it was useless to go to the court as the farmers were afraid.

Q. What, according to Gandhiji, was the need of the hour?

Ans. According to Gandhiji, the first thing to be done was to remove the fear which was deep-rooted in the minds of the farmers of Champaran or sharecroppers. 


Most of the arable land in the Champaran district was divided into large estates owned by Englishmen and worked by Indian tenants…….. This was done by a long-term contract.


  • In those days there was a unique sharecropping system prevailing in Champaran. Most of the land for cultivation was divided into large estates owned by the British landlords. They used to give land to the Indian peasants on rent and compelled them to grow indigo, the chief commercial crop, in 15% of their holdings. 


Q. What do you know about the sharecropping system in Champaran?

Ans. In Champaran, the British landlords used to give land to the Indian farmers on rent and forced them to grow indigo in 15% of their holdings and the whole cash crop had to be submitted as rent.

Q. What did the British landlords compel the Indian farmers to do?

Ans. The British landlords compelled the peasants to grow indigo in 15% of their holdings and submit the whole cash crop as rent.


Presently the landlords learnt that Germany had developed synthetic indigo ………. At this point, Gandhi arrived in Champaran.


  • The British landlords got to know that Germany had developed synthetic indigo. So they realised that the price of natural indigo would go down. Therefore, they acted very smartly and asked the peasants to pay compensation and become free from the 15% arrangement. 

  • Many agreed as the whole system was complicated. Those who did not, engaged lawyers. On the other hand, the British landlords hired thugs. Later on, when the farmers, who had paid compensation, came to know about the synthetic indigo, they demanded their money back. At this point, there started a conflict between the farmers and the landlords. It was at this juncture that Gandhiji reached Champaran.


Q. What did the British landlords ask the farmers to do?

Ans. The British landlords asked the farmers to pay some compensation and become free from the 15% arrangement.

Q. What did the peasants who refused to pay compensation do?

Ans. They engaged the lawyers.

Q. What happened when the peasants came to know about the synthetic indigo?

Ans. The farmers, who had already paid compensation to the British landlords, demanded their money back after they got to know about the synthetic indigo.

Q. Why did the British landlords ask the sharecroppers to pay compensation and become free from the 15% arrangement? 

Ans. They realised that the price of natural Indigo would go down because of the synthetic Indigo developed by Germany. 


He began by trying to get the facts. First, he visited the secretary of the British Landlords Association ……….. advised me forthwith to leave Tirhut. 


  • Gandhiji intended to collect information in Muzzafarpur. Therefore, he went to meet the secretary of the British Landlords Association who refused to give any information saying that Gandhiji was an outsider.

  • Next Gandhiji went to meet the commissioner of Tirhut division under which Champaran district lay. The commissioner tried to bully Gandhiji and asked him to leave the Tirhut division immediately


Q. Which three things did Gandhiji do to get the facts in Muzzafarpur?

Ans. First of all, Gandhiji had a meeting with the lawyers, then the secretary of the British Landlords Association and finally the official commissioner of the Tirhut division.

Q. How did the secretary of the British Landlords Association in Muzzafarpur treat Gandhiji?

Ans. When Gandhiji went to meet the secretary of the British Landlords Association, the latter bluntly said that he would not give any information as Gandhiji was an outsider. But Gandhiji said that he was not an outsider.

Q. Describe Gandhiji’s meeting with the commissioner of the Tirhut division.

Ans. Gandhiji's meeting with the commissioner of the Tirhut division proved to be futile. Instead of assisting Gandhiji, the British commissioner tried to bully him and suggested him to leave the Tirhut division immediately.

Q. How was Gandhiji's reaction when the secretary of the British landlord association called him an outsider?

Ans. Gandhiji replied to the secretary of the British Landlords Association saying he was not an outsider. 

Gandhi did not least care for the warning and proceeded to Motihari, the capital of Champaran.


Gandhiji did not leave. Instead, he proceeded to Motihari the capital of Champaran ……………. and wrote on it that he would disobey the order. 


  • When Gandhiji reached Champaran, he was greeted by a huge crowd. In  Motihari he took a house and started working.

  • One day  Gandhiji got to know that a farmer had been maltreated by the British landlord's men. Therefore, he decided to go to meet that very person. While he was on the way, the messenger of the superintendent of police stopped him. Gandhiji complied and did not move ahead. 

  • When Gandhiji returned his quarter, he was served a notice in which he had been asked to leave Champaran immediately. Gandhiji received the notice and wrote that he would disobey the order. This was the beginning of civil disobedience in Champaran.


Q. How did civil disobedience start in Champaran?

Ans. The civil disobedience started when Gandhiji refused to comply with the order of the superintendent of police to leave Champaran. 

Q. Where was Gandhiji going?

Ans. Gandhiji was going to meet the farmer who had been assaulted by the British landlord's men. 

Q. Which aspect of Gandhiji's character has been highlighted here?

Ans. His fearlessness and fighting spirit.


In consequence, Gandhi received a summons to appear in the court the next day.  ………………… He wired a full report to the Viceroy. 


  • As Gandhiji had challenged the authority, he received a summons in which he had been ordered to appear in the court the next day. 

  • The whole night Gandhiji could not sleep. He sent a telegram to Rajendra Prasad and asked him to come with his influential friends. He also wired everything to the Viceroy and described what was happening there. Moreover, he sent instructions to his ashram.


Q. Why did Gandhiji receive a summons from the court?

Ans. It was because he had disobeyed the order of the superintendent of police. 

Q. What did Gandhiji do after receiving the summons?

Ans. After receiving the summons Gandhiji remained busy in sending telegrams to Rajendra Prasad as well as the Viceroy. Moreover, he sent instructions to his ashram.


Morning found the town of Motihari black with peasants…..…….. Apparently, the authorities wished to consult their superiors. 

  • The next day the whole town of Motihari was black with peasants. It means there was a sea of people in and around the courthouse. It may also be because the farmers were sunburnt and thus appeared dark or because only the heads of the people could be seen.

  •  When the farmers got to know that Gandhiji, who had come to help them, was in trouble, they rushed to the town of Motihari to support him. These people had come on their own; nobody had forced them. At this point, Gandhiji realised that the fear had started decreasing.

  • The British officials felt helpless in front of the unexpected huge crowd. It was almost impossible for them to control the crowd. Gandhiji helped them control the crowd and gave a message that their power, which had till then been unquestioned, would soon be challenged.

  • The British officials were totally confused about their course of action after observing the huge crowd of farmers, and therefore, they wanted to consult their superiors. So, the prosecutor requested the magistrate to postpone the trial. But Gandhiji opposed it. He said that he had broken the law and therefore should be punished.


Q. Why did the peasants come in large number?

Ans. To support Gandhiji.

Q. What did Gandhiji realise?

Ans. Gandhi realised that the peasants were getting fearless. That’s why they had come in large numbers without caring for the consequences.

Q. What was the message given by Gandhiji to the Britishers?

Ans. That their unquestioned power would soon be challenged.

Q. Why did the prosecutor request the magistrate to postpone the trial?

Ans. The British officials were in dilemma. They were baffled as peasants turned out in large numbers and they felt helpless. They feared that the farmers might become unruly if any legal action was taken.

Q. How did Gandhiji oppose the postponement of the trial?

Ans. Gandhiji accepted that he had broken the law, and thus he was guilty. He even requested the magistrate to give him due punishment.


Gandhi protested against the delay. He read a statement ……………….. He asked the penalty due. 


  • In the court, Gandhiji read a statement in which he pleaded guilty. Moreover, he also said that he had not broken the law because of want of respect for it. Further, he added that he was in a conflict of duties. On the one hand, he did not want to set a bad example for others by breaking the law. On the other hand, he thought about the peasants for whom he had come and who had been exploited by the British landlords. He called it national service. Finally, he said that he heard his inner voice ie. the voice of his conscience and broke the law.

  • The magistrate informed that he would not be able to give judgment for two hours and asked Gandhiji to furnish the bail. But Gandhiji refused. Finally, the magistrate allowed him to go out. After two hours when the court reconvened, the magistrate told that he would not be able to give judgement for a few days and set Gandhiji free.

  • After a few days, Gandhiji received a written communication from the magistrate in which he was informed that all the charges against him had been withdrawn by the order of the lieutenant governor of the province. This was the victory of civil disobedience in Champaran.


Q. How did Gandhiji defend himself in the court?

Ans. Gandhiji said that he disobeyed the order not because of the want of respect for the law, but because he wanted to do the humanitarian service by helping the poor peasant.

Q. What does Gandhiji mean by the expression, “humanitarian and national service”?

Ans. It means help to the poor sharecroppers being exploited by the British landlords. 

Q. Why did Gandhiji disobey the order of the superintendent of police? 

Ans. He did it at the call of his conscience. 


Rajendra Prasad, Brij Kishore Babu, Maulana Mazharul Huq and several other prominent lawyers had arrived from Bihar…………………  and put down the order in which each pair was to court arrest. 



  • In response to Gandhiji's telegram, Rajendra Prasad arrived in Champaran along with many learned and famous lawyers including Brij Kishore Babu, Maulana Mazharul Haque et cetera. When they arrived, Gandhiji asked what they would do if he went to jail. One senior lawyer replied that they would go back to their homes. Upon this, Gandhiji questioned what would happen to the sharecroppers if they went back to their homes. These words impressed the lawyers very much.

  • The lawyers consulted among themselves to discuss the issue. They realised that Gandhiji, despite being an outsider, was ready to go to jail for the sake of the farmers. On the other hand, they were from the adjoining districts and even many of them had represented the farmers in the court. Therefore they felt it would be a shameful desertion if they went away. So they decided to go to jail along with Gandhiji. When they informed Gandhiji about their decision, the latter remarked "the battle of Champaran is won".

Q. What was the reply of the senior lawyer when Gandhiji asked what they would do if he was sentenced to prison?

Ans. The senior lawyer replied that they would go back to their homes if Gandhiji was sentenced.

Q. How did Gandhiji influence the lawyers of Bihar?

Ans. When the senior lawyer told Gandhiji that they would go back to their homes, the latter put a question- what would happen to the injustice to the sharecroppers? These words influenced the lawyers of Bihar so much that they consulted among themselves to discuss the issue. 

Q. What was the decision taken by the lawyers of Bihar?

Ans. The lawyers of Bihar decided to go to jail along with Gandhiji.

Q. Why did Gandhiji remark “the battle of Champaran was won”? 

Ans. When the lawyers of Bihar informed Gandhiji about their decision to go to jail along with him, he remarked “the battle of Champaran is won”. 


Gandhi and the lawyers now proceeded to conduct for plug enquiry into the grievances of the farmers. ……………….. Gandhi ji as the sole representative of the peasants. 


  • When all the charges against him had been withdrawn by the order of the lieutenant governor of the province, Gandhiji and his lawyer friends began to have a far-flung enquiry about the sharecropping system. They collected thousands of depositions and complaints. The British landlords, on the other side, became violent. As a result, the whole area throbbed with activities.

  • It was the month of June when Gandhiji was called by the lieutenant governor of the province Sir Edward Gait. Gandhiji thought that he might be arrested and therefore, he had a discussion with his lawyer friends about how they would continue the civil disobedience in his absence..

  • Gandhiji had four protracted interviews with the lieutenant governor. Finally, Gandhiji was able to convince the lieutenant governor to set up an official commission to enquire about the sharecropping system in Champaran. In the commission, there were British landlords, British officials as well as Gandhiji who was representing the farmers. As a result of this official commission, the farmers were able to get a 25% refund.


Q. How did the whole area throb with activities?

Ans. On the one hand, Gandhiji and his lawyer friends started collecting depositions, documents and complaints. On the other hand, the British landlords began violent protests. 

Q. Who called Gandhiji in June?

Ans. The Lieutenant Governor of the province Sir Edward Gait.

Q. What was the outcome of Gandhiji's four protracted interviews with the Lieutenant Governor?

Ans. It resulted in the appointment of an official commission of enquiry into the sharecropping system in Champaran. 

Q. Who were the members of the official commission of enquiry? 

Ans. The British landlords, government officials and Gandhiji, who was the only representative of the sharecroppers. 




The official inquiry assembled the crashing mountain of evidence against the big planters …………………. Indigo sharecropping disappeared.


  • When the official commission started the inquiry, a lot of evidence was found against the British landlords. When the landlords realised it, they offered to pay back and asked Gandhiji how much, thinking he would demand a hundred percent. Gandhiji demanded only 50% and he seemed to be adamant. One of the landlords offered 25% and Gandhiji accepted. For everyone, it was a surprise.

  • Later Gandhiji defended his decision. According to him, money was not important. First of all, he wanted to break the deadlock. Moreover, he expressed that by giving money back, the landlords would lose their prestige and that would give a kind of encouragement to the farmers. He was right. The landlords had earlier behaved like lords. Now the farmers realised that the landlords were not above the law and that they also had rights and defenders.

  • First of all the acceptance of a 25% refund gave the farmers courage. Moreover, a few years later all the British landlords left Champaran forever.


Q. What happened when the official enquiry began?

Ans. When the official enquiry began, a lot of evidence was found against the British landlords. 

Q. Why did the British landlords agree to refund?

Ans. The British landlords agreed to return because there was a lot of evidence of the irregularity against them. 

Q. Who was J Z Hodge?

Ans. He was a British missionary.

Q. Why did Gandhiji agree to accept a 25% refund?

Ans. Gandhi agreed to a 25% refund because he wanted to break the deadlock. Furthermore, he knew that the prestige of the landlords would go down once they gave a refund. This would encourage the sharecroppers.

Q. What was the outcome/result of accepting a 25% refund?

Ans. The sharecroppers realised that the British landlords were not above the law, and thus they got courage. Moreover, a few years later all the British landlords left Champaran forever


Gandhi never contented himself with large political or economic solutions…………………….. anybody with skin eruptions received ointment plus castor oil.

  • According to the author, Gandhiji had never been satisfied with economic and political solutions. When Gandhiji observed cultural and social backwardness, he opened primary schools in six villages and appealed for teachers. In response to his appeal, many of his followers arrived in Champaran along with their wives. Chief among them were Narhari Parikh, Mahadev Desai and  Dev Das, Gandhiji's youngest son.

  • Gandhiji's wife, Kasturba Gandhi, also reached Champaran who started teaching ashram rules on personal cleanliness and community sanitation.

  • In Champaran, Gandhiji noticed that the health condition of the people was very bad. Therefore, he got a doctor to volunteer his services for six months. He also made available three medicines quinine, castor oil and sulphur ointment. When a person suffered from the coated tongue, he was given the dose of castor oil. On the other hand, if a person was having malaria fever he was given quinine and castor oil. In case of skin eruption, the people were given castor oil and sulphur ointment.


Q. What did Gandhiji do to remove cultural and educational backwardness?

Ans. Gandhiji opened primary schools in six villages and appealed for teachers.

Q. Who was Kasturba Gandhi? What did she teach?

Ans. Kasturba Gandhi was the wife of Mahatma Gandhi. In Champaran, she began to teach the ashram 

rules of personal cleanliness and community sanitation.

Q. How did Gandhiji try to improve the health condition of the people?

Ans. When Gandhiji realised that the health condition of the people was miserable, he got the voluntary service of a doctor for six months. Moreover, he made available three medicines- quinine, castor oil and sulphur ointment. 


Gandhi noticed the filthy state of women's clothes……………….. the old ones would begin to smell bad.


  • Gandhiji observed that the women were dirty, and therefore, he pointed out Kasturba Gandhi. She pointed out the same to the women. One of the women took Kasturba Gandhi to her house and showed that there was neither any cupboard nor any box. She said that the dress she was wearing was the only one. In this way, she wanted to convey to Kasturba Gandhi how she would be neat and clean if she had only one dress to wear.

  • During his stay in Champaran, Gandhiji used to have a distant watch over his ashram. He used to send instructions as well as get the details about accounts. On one occasion he asked to dig out new latrine trenches because the old one would fill and start smelling bad.

Q. What did Gandhiji notice about women?

Ans. He noticed the filthy state of women.

Q. Why did one of the women take Kasturba Gandhi to her house?

Ans. To show that they were so poor that they could not afford even a pair of sarees.

Q. How did Gandhiji keep a long-distance watch on the ashram?

Ans. He used to give instructions to the people living in the ashram and also asked for financial accounts.


The Champaran episode was a turning point in Gandhiji's life……………………………  it was a loyalty to living human beings. 

  • The author expresses that the Champaran episode was a turning point in Gandhiji's life. According to him, in Champaran, he did an ordinary thing.  He made the Britishers realise that they could not order him in his own country.

  • The Champaran episode would be remembered not only for disobedience but also for connecting politics with day to day problems of the people.

Q. How was the Champaran episode a turning point in Gandhiji's life?

Ans. He made the Britishers realise that they were not authorised to order him in his own country.

Q. Apart from civil disobedience the Champaran episode will be remembered for_________

Ans. Gandhiji's action to intertwine politics with the day-to-day problems of the people.


Early in the Champaran action ………………… Self-reliance, Indian independence and help to the sharecroppers were all bound together. 

  • There was a follower of Gandhiji whose name was Charles Freer Andrews. He was a British pacifist. When he reached Champaran, Gandhiji's lawyer friends wanted him to stay and help fight against the Britishers. But Gandhiji opposed it. He told if they took the help of a Britisher, they would reveal their weakness. He wanted them to fight on their own and get victory. In this way, he taught a lesson in self-reliance.

  • Finally, the author says that in Champaran self-reliance, Indian independence and help and support to the sharecroppers were all combined.


Q. Who was Charles Freer Andrews?

Ans. Chance Freer Andrews was a British citizen. He was a pacifist and a great follower of Gandhiji.

Q. What did Gandhiji's lawyer friends want from Charles Freer Andrews?

Ans. They wanted Charles to stay and help them to fight against the British landlords.

Q. What did Gandhiji oppose and why?

Ans. Gandhiji opposed the lawyer's idea of taking help from Andrews. Gandhiji was of the view that they would reveal their weakness if they took the support of a Britisher in the fight for justice. In this way, Gandhiji taught a lesson in self-reliance

Q. For what will the Champaran episode be remembered?

Ans. It would be remembered for helping the sharecroppers, lesson in self-reliance and fighting for Indian independence.


Also Read:

Class 12 English CBSE
Literature

Flamingo Prose


Lost Spring                                        
Deep Water                                                                          
The Rattrap                         
Poets And Pancakes                          
The Interview                                                                              


Flamingo Poetry

My Mother At Sixty Six .

Keeping Quiet 

Vistas


Writing Portion






 





















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