1 of 33

5 - INDIGO: BY LOIUS FISCHER

SHAJU JOSEPH

PGT ENGLISH

JNV MAHE

2 of 33

Career Of Louis Fischer

Was born in Philadelphia in 1896 (USA).
Worked as Journalist in The New York Times.
Was a faculty at Princeton University.
Served as volunteer in British Army.
An authentic biographer of Gandhi

3 of 33

Was a Jewish-American.

Major Works

The god that failed(1949)

The Soviets in World Affairs(1930)

The Essential Gandhi(1962)

4 of 33

Our Knowledge of Gandhi�

What is the full name of Gandhiji?
When & where was Gandhiji born?
Name the autobiography of Mahatma Gandhiji?
What was the profession of Gandhiji?
Who called Gandhiji’s as Mahatma?

5 of 33

‘Life Of Mahatma’ By Louis Fischer

The life of Mahatma Gandhi (1950)is basis for the academy Award wining film ‘Gandhi’(1982).
The Lesson indigo is an excerpt from this book.
It is regarded as one of the best books ever written on Gandhi.

6 of 33

LIFE BEGINS NEW IN INDIA

In 1915, back in India, Gandhi set up an ‘ashram’ - a self-sufficient community, where he ate a simple diet, and lived like the poorest villagers

7 of 33

Gandhi-A New Figure in India 1915

Gandhi wanted to work against exploitation.
He had served in the civil rights of South Africans.
Gopalakrishna Gokhale advised him to join INC.
He went to participate in the Lucknow session of
INC in 1916.

8 of 33

Louis Fischer Met Gandhi at Sevagram in 1942 and asked him……

9 of 33

How did you urge the departure

of British from India?

I will tell you How I urged them….. It was in 1917.

10 of 33

Story of Gandhi Reaching Champaran(1917)

Rajkumar Shukla was an ordinary peasant.
He was a share cropper at Champaran.
He had complained to many in vain about the share cropping exploitation .
So some one suggested him to speak to Gandhi.

Please fix a date…..to come to Champaran

11 of 33

Appointment by Gandhi

Gandhi was impressed by the tenacity of Rajkumar Shukla
Gandhi told Shukla to meet him at Calcutta.
On the appointed date Shukla was seen waiting for Gandhi at Calcutta
He travelled with Rajkumar Shukla to Champaran and met Rajendra Prasad.

12 of 33

Gandhi’s route to Champaran

13 of 33

Servants Misunderstand Gandhi

Seeing Gandhi with a peasant, servants thought Gandhi to be another peasant.
So Gandhi was not allowed to draw even water from the well.
Gandhi waited for Rajendra Prasad till his arrival outside the house.

14 of 33

Visit to Champaran

Being a Lawyer Gandhi wanted to gather complete information about share cropper's problem.
So Visited J B Kripalani a professor at Arts college Muzafarpur.
Government servants could not support advocates of home rule movement.

J B Kripalani

15 of 33

News of Gandhi’s mission spread at Champaran

Sharecroppers from champaran came on foot to see their new champion
Lawyers of Muzzafarpur called on Gandhi
Gandhi asked them their fees and chided them.
“Law courts are useless” said Gandhi

16 of 33

Gathering Information About Indigo Problem

Most of the arable land in Champaran was owned by Englishman and worked by Indian tenants.
The chief commercial crop was indigo.
The landlords compelled all tenants to plant three twentieths or 15 percent of their holding with indigo.
The entire indigo harvest was to be surrendered as rent.
This was done by along-term contract.
This was irksome to the peasants.

17 of 33

What is indigo

Indigo was a natural dye extracted from the leaves of Indigo plants and exported by British for using in their textile industry.
Champaran foothills had ideal weather for cultivation of indigo crop.

18 of 33

Germany developed synthetic indigo 1917. Its demand grew more than that of Champaran Indigo
Landlords obtained permission from the sharecroppers to pay them compensation for being released from the 15% agreement.
Many peasants signed and paid willingly; other who went to the court, were threatened by landlord’s thugs.
Peasants came to know of synthetic indigo and they demanded their money back.
Thus arose a conflict- Gandhi arrived Champaran at this point.

19 of 33

A Lawyer needs Facts

He visited Secretary of British Landlords-Who called Gandhi an outsider.
So he visited in the commissioner of Tirhut-who bullied Gandhi.
Gandhi was asked to quit Champaran immediately.
But Gandhi did not leave.

20 of 33

Creating a Headquarter in Motihari

Continued his investigation.
Gandhi heard a News about a peasant being Maltreated.
Gandhi decided to visit the peasant.
A messenger delivered an order to Gandhi to quit Champaran
Gandhi declined.

21 of 33

Gandhi was implicated in a Court case

For disobeying the order of the commissioner, Gandhi was asked to appear in the court
Gandhi planned elaborately.
He asked lawyer friends to come from Bihar.
He wired instruction to his ashram.
He also wired a full report to viceroy.

22 of 33

Result

Next day the town of Motihari was black with peasants.
There was spontaneous demonstration around court house.
This was beginning of the liberation of fear of British landlords.
The multitude confronted Officials.
They felt powerless to control

the crowd.

23 of 33

Postponement of Court Trial

Due to rising trouble from the crowd, magistrate postponed trial.
Gandhi protested against the postponement .
He also pleaded guilty. So no trial would be required.
He said, “his was a conflict of duties”.
He did not want to be a law breaker.
He wanted to render humanitarian service.
He asked for the due penalty.

24 of 33

Magistrate further postponed the trial

Seeing trouble magistrate postponed trial for two hours.
Gandhiji was asked to furnish bail. Gandhiji refused.
When court reconvened, judge would nor deliver judgement for several days.
Result: Gandhi could remain at liberty.

25 of 33

The big plan by Gandhi

Gandhi consulted :-

Rajendra Prasad
Brij Kishor Babu
Maulana Mazharul Huq
Other prominent lawyers

What would they do if :-

Would they go home? Or
Would they follow Gandhi to jail?

26 of 33

Lawyers decided to follow Gandhi to jail

(There were many to court arrest selflessly for the cause of peasants)
Lawyers felt deserting Gandhi would be shameful.

Champaran is Won!

We will follow you to jail

27 of 33

Triumph of civil disobedience

Sensing the detailed plan of Gandhi and selfless service of lawyers to Gandhi, Lieutenant governor dropped the case against Gandhi.
This was the :