Champaran Satyagraha

Last updated
Gandhiji and Sub-Inspector Qurban Ali in Champaran (1917) Gandhiji and Sub-Inspector Qurban Ali in Champaran (1917).jpg
Gandhiji and Sub-Inspector Qurban Ali in Champaran (1917)

Champaran Satyagraha
Dr Rajendra Pd. DR.Anugrah Narayan Sinha.jpg
(Sitting left to right) Rajendra Prasad and Anugrah Narayan Sinha with (standing left to right) local vakils (lawyers) Ramnavmi Prasad and Shambhu Sharan Verma during Mahatma Gandhi's 1917 Champaran movement
Date10 April ― May 1917
Location Champaran district of Bihar
Organised by Mahatma Gandhi, Brajkishore Prasad, Rajendra Prasad, Anugrah Narayan Sinha Ramnavmi Prasad, Mazhar-ul-Haq and others including J. B. Kripalani & Babu Gaya Prasad Singh.

The Champaran Satyagraha of 1917 was the first satyagraha movement led by Mahatma Gandhi in British India and is considered a historically important rebellion in the Indian independence movement. It was a farmer's uprising that took place in Champaran district of Bihar in the Indian subcontinent, during the British colonial period. The farmers were protesting against having to grow indigo with barely any payment for it. [2]

Contents

When Gandhi returned to India from South Africa in 1915 and saw peasants in Northern India oppressed by indigo planters, he tried to use the same methods that he had used in South Africa to organize mass uprisings by people to protest against injustice.

Champaran Satyagraha was the first popular satyagraha movement. The Champaran Satyagraha gave direction to India's youth and freedom struggle, which was tottering between moderates who prescribed Indian participation within the British colonial system, and the radicals from Bengal who advocated the use of violent methods to topple British colonial rule in India. [3]

Under colonial-era laws, many tenant farmers were forced to grow some indigo on a portion of their land as a condition of their tenancy. This indigo was used to make dye. The Germans had invented a cheaper artificial dye so the demand for indigo fell. Some tenants paid more rent in return for being let off from growing indigo. However, during the First World War the German dye ceased to be available and so indigo became profitable again. Thus many tenants were once again forced to grow it on a portion of their land- as was required by their lease. Naturally, this created much anger and resentment. [4] [5]

Background of indigo

Neel (indigo) started being grown commercially in Bihar, United Provinces and Bengal Presidency in 1750. Being a cash crop which needed high amounts of water and usually left the soil infertile, local farmers usually opposed its cultivation, instead preferring to grow daily need crops such as rice and pulses. Hence, the East India Company issued policies designed to pressure farmers to grow indigo, often by making this the condition for providing loans, and through collusion with local kings, nawabs, and landlords. The trade was lucrative and led to the fortunes of several Indian and European merchants and trading companies, including Jardine Matheson, E. Pabaney, Sassoon, Wadias and Swire. [6]

As the Indian indigo trade to China was made illegal in the early 1900s and was restricted in the United States in 1910, indigo traders began to put pressure on farmers to increase production. Many tenants alleged that Landlords had used strong-arm tactics to exact illegal cesses and to extort them in other ways. This issue had been highlighted by a number of lawyers/politicians and there had also been a Commission of Inquiry. Ganesh Shankar Vidyarthi and Peer Muneesh published the condition of Champaran in their publications because of which they lost their jobs. [7] Raj Kumar Shukla and Sant Raut, a moneylender who owned some land, persuaded Gandhi to go to Champaran and thus, the Champaran Satyagraha began. Gandhi arrived in Champaran, on 10 April 1917 and stayed at the house of Sant Raut in Amolwa village with a team of eminent lawyers: Brajkishore Prasad, Rajendra Prasad, Maulana Mazharul Haque, Anugrah Narayan Sinha, Babu Gaya Prasad Singh, Ramnavmi Prasad, and others including J. B. Kripalani. [8]

Gandhi established the first-ever basic school at Barharwa Lakhansen village, 30 km east from the district headquarters at Dhaka, East Champaran, on 13 November 1917, organising scores of his veteran supporters and fresh volunteers from the region. [9] His handpicked team of eminent lawyers comprising [10] Rajendra Prasad, Anugrah Narayan Sinha & Babu Brajkishore Prasad organised a detailed study and survey of the villages, accounting the atrocities and terrible episodes of suffering, including the general state of degenerate living.

His main assault came as he was arrested by police on 16 April, on the charge of creating unrest and was ordered to leave the province. When asked by magistrate George Chander at Motihari district court on 18 April, to pay a security of Rs. 100, Gandhi humbly refused to be constrained by the diktat. Hundreds of thousands of people protested and rallied outside the court demanding his release, which the court unwillingly did. The case was subsequently withdrawn by the British Government. [11]

Gandhi led organised protests and strike against the landlords, who with the guidance of the British government, signed an agreement granting more compensation and control over farming for the poor farmers of the region, and cancellation of revenue hikes and collection until the famine ended. It was during this agitation, that first time Gandhi was called "Bapu" (Father) by Sant Raut and there was popularisation of "Mahatma" (Great Soul), which was given to Gandhi by Rabindranath Tagore. [12] Gandhi himself did not like being addressed as "Mahatma", preferring to be called Bapu. [13] [14] [15]

Champaran movement concluded with the introduction of 'Champaran Agrarian Bill' by W. Maude, Member of Executive Council, Government of Bihar and Orissa, "consisting of almost all recommendations Gandhi Mission had made and it became the Champaran Agrarian Law (1918: Bihar and Orissa Act I)." This was for the first time that civil disobedience in India made the British adjust their "solipsistic attitude". [16] [17] [18] While the British Government had crushed the Indian Rebellion of 1857, Satyagraha with its nonviolent communication confused the colonial government into believing that it would be unsuccessful. One of Gandhi's biographers, David Arnold, writes that Gandhi "confused, angered and divided the British in almost equal measure"; the British thus were "unsure whether he was, in their terms, a loyalist or a rebel." It was Gandhi's "moral superiority" that played a crucial role in the success of satyagraha and Gandhi's final mission of India's independence. [19]

The Tinkathia System which had been in existence for about a century was thus abolished and with it the planters’ raj came to an end. The riots, who had all along remained crushed, now somewhat came to their own, and the superstition that the stain of indigo could never be washed out was exploded.

— Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi [20]

Building on confidence of villagers, Gandhi began leading the clean-up of villages, building of schools and hospitals and encouraging the village leaders to undo purdah, untouchability and the suppression of women. Gandhi set up two more basic schools at Bhitiharwa with the help of Sant Raut in West Champaran and Madhuban in this district.

Centenary celebrations

The series of celebration began on 10 April 2017 with a National Conclave (Rashtritya Vimarsh) where eminent Gandhian thinkers, philosophers, and scholars participated. The event was organised by Education Department and Directorate of Mass Education being the nodal office. [21] On 13 May 2017, Indian Postal Department Issued three commemorative postage stamps and a miniature sheet on Champaran Satyagraha Centenary. [22] [23] [24]

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on 10 April 2018 attended the concluding ceremony of the Champaran Satyagraha's centenary celebrations at Motihari in Champaran district of Bihar. [25] PM Modi's key initiatives, including Swachh Bharat Mission attempt to re-interpret the theme of Champaran Satyagraha as Swachhagraha, thus to "re-emphasise the spirit of cleanliness – or Swachhta – which was close to Mahatma Gandhi's heart.

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rajendra Prasad</span> 1st President of India from 1950 to 1962 (1884–1963)

Rajendra Prasad was an Indian politician, lawyer, journalist and scholar who served as the first president of India from 1950 to 1962. He joined the Indian National Congress during the Indian independence movement and became a major leader from the region of Bihar and Maharashtra. A supporter of Mahatma Gandhi, Prasad was imprisoned by British authorities during the Salt Satyagraha of 1930 and the Quit India movement of 1942. After the constituent assembly 1946 elections, Prasad served as 1st Minister of Food and Agriculture in the central government from 1947 to 1948. Upon independence in 1947, Prasad was elected as President of the Constituent Assembly of India, which prepared the Constitution of India and which served as its provisional Parliament.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kasturba Gandhi</span> Indian freedom activist and leader; wife of the Mahatma Gandhi

Kasturbai Mohandas Gandhi was an Indian political activist who was involved in the Indian independence movement during British India. She was married to Mohandas Gandhi, commonly known as Mahatma Gandhi. National Safe Motherhood Day is observed in India annually on April 11, coinciding with Kasturba's birthday.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">West Champaran district</span> District in Bihar, India

West Champaran is an administrative district in the state of Bihar in India, located just 60 km (37 mi) west of Birgunj. It is the largest district in Bihar with an area of 5,228 km2(2,019sq mi). It is a part of Tirhut Division. The district headquarters are located in Bettiah. The district is known for its open border with Nepal. One of the major location in West Champaran is Kumar Bagh for SAIL Special Processing Unit and Bhitiharwa where Mahatma Gandhi started Satyagrah Aandolan.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">East Champaran district</span> District of Bihar in India

East Champaran is an administrative district in the state of Bihar in India.The district headquarters are located at Motihari. Prior to 1971, there was a single district called "Champaran". On 1 December 1971, the district was divided into 2 parts East Champaran and West Champaran. In early days the land of East Chamapran was ruled by different kingdoms as Videha, Sunga, Kanvas. It is also believed that Champaran used to be a major part of King Janak's empire. Mahatma Gandhi started his famous Satyagraha movement from here.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Motihari</span> City in Bihar, India

Motihari is a city and headquarters of East Champaran district in the Indian state of Bihar. It is located 80 kilometres west of Muzaffarpur and 152 kilometres northwest of the state capital Patna. In early days the land of Motihari was ruled by different kingdoms as Videha, Sunga, Kanvas. It is also believed that Champaran used to be a major part of King Janak's empire. Mahatma Gandhi Started his famous Satyagraha movement from here.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">All India Kisan Sabha</span> Farmers wing of Communist Pary of India

All India Kisan Sabha, is the peasant or farmers' wing of the Communist Party of India, an important peasant movement formed by Sahajanand Saraswati in 1936.

Champaran is a region of Bihar in India. It is now divided into an East Champaran district and a West Champaran district.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Gandhi Maidan</span> Situated In Patna, Bihar

Gandhi Maidan is a historic ground in Patna, near the banks of the Ganges River, in Bihar, India. The Golghar falls to its west. During the period of 1824–1833, under British rule, it was used as a golf course and horse racing track and was called Patna Lawns. It is spread across 60 acres of land. It has a great political significance as well.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">History of Bihar</span> History of Indian state of Bihar

The History of Bihar is one of the most varied in India.Chirand, on the northern bank of the Ganga River, in Saran district, has an archaeological record dating from the Neolithic age. Regions of Bihar—such as Magadha, Mithila and Anga—are mentioned in religious texts and epics of ancient India. Mithila is believed to be the centre of Indian power in the Later Vedic period. Mithila first gained prominence after the establishment of the ancient Videha Kingdom. The kings of the Videha were called Janakas. A daughter of one of the Janaks of Mithila, Sita, is mentioned as consort of Lord Rama in the Hindu epic Ramayana. The kingdom later became incorporated into the Vajjika League which had its capital in the city of Vaishali, which is also in Mithila.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sahajanand Saraswati</span> Peasant leader and Indian independence activist

Sahajanand Saraswati was an ascetic, a nationalist and a peasant leader of India. Although born in United Provinces, his social and political activities focussed mostly on Bihar in the initial days, and gradually spread to the rest of India with the formation of the All India Kisan Sabha. He had set up an ashram at Bihta, near Patna, Bihar carried out most of his work in the later part of his life from there. He was an intellectual, prolific writer, social reformer and revolutionary.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tirhut division</span> Division in Bihar, India

Tirhut Division or Tirhut Commissionary is an administrative-geographical unit of Bihar in India. Muzaffarpur is the headquarters of the division. The division comprises six districts -- Muzaffarpur, West Champaran, East Champaran, Vaishali, Sitamarhi and Sheohar.

Brajkishore Prasad (1877–1946) was a lawyer inspired by Mohandas Gandhi during the Indian Independence Movement.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Anugrah Narayan Sinha</span> Indian politician (1887–1957)

Anugrah Narayan Sinha, known as Bihar Vibhuti, was an Indian nationalist statesman, participant in Champaran Satyagraha, Gandhian & one of the architects of modern Bihar, who was the first Deputy Chief Minister and the Finance Minister of the Indian state of Bihar (1946–1957). He was also a Member of the Constituent Assembly of India, which was elected to write the Constitution of India and served in its first Parliament as an independent nation. He also held a range of portfolios including Labour, Local Self Government, Public Works, Supply & Price Control, Health and Agriculture. A.N. Sinha, affectionately called Anugrah Babu, was a very close associate of Mahatma Gandhi during the freedom struggle movement and worked with Bihar Kesari Sri Krishna Sinha to lead the Gandhian movement in Bihar. One of the leading nationalists in the Indian independence movement from Bihar after Dr Rajendra Prasad, he was elected as the Congress Party deputy leader in the state assembly to assume office as first Deputy Chief Minister cum Finance Minister of independent Bihar, and re-elected when the Congress Party won Bihar's first general election with a massive mandate in 1952.

Champaran District was a district of British India.

Dhaka is a town and a notified area in the district of East Champaran entry point Mehsi in the state of Bihar, India. Dhaka is Nagar Parishad that is divided into 25 wards. It is the headquarters of Sikrahana subdivision. In the last 10–15 years Dhaka emerged as the town for its nearby area. It is very close to the border of Nepal. People of all religions live here, but this is a predominantly Muslim area. Its land is second cheapest after Raxaul in Bihar. There are both criminal and civil courts dealing with cases for the whole jurisdiction. There are two graduate degree level colleges in Dhaka. There are busy and bustling markets here that offers goods of all brands.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Raj Kumar Shukla</span> Freedom Fighter

Raj Kumar Shukla was the person who convinced Mahatma Gandhi to visit Champaran which later led to the Champaran Satyagraha. Shukla at the time worked under Hafiz Din Mohammad and was sent to meet Gandhi.

Bapudham Motihari Railway Station is a major railway station in Motihari through which 2 lines pass one towards Muzaffarpur and other towards Sitamarhi via Sheohar, it lies in the headquarter city of East Champaran district of Bihar. Its station code is BMKI. The station mainly consists of four platforms and acts as the main station in the city of Motihari, which is being developed under 'The Amrit Bharat Station Scheme' and to celebrate 150 years of Mahatama Gandhi. In February 2022, the Indian Railways had planned to set up a railway station Development Corporation (RSDC) that would work on improving the major railway stations, including Bapudham Motihari, by building and improving passenger amenities.[4] Under the development scheme, major development works are going on Bapudham Motihari. Separate air conditioned waiting lounge, free WiFi facility, IRCTC food court and many facilities are going to be available on Bapudham Motihari at the end of 2024. To enhance the security of this station, a metal detector and baggage handling system will be installed soon.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kheda Satyagraha of 1918</span> Civil resistance movement organized by Gandhi in India

The Kheda Satyagraha of 1918 was a satyagraha movement in the Kheda district of Gujarat in India organised by Mahatma Gandhi during the period of the British Raj. It was a major revolt in the Indian independence movement. It was the second Satyagraha movement, which was launched 7 days after the Ahmedabad mill strike. After the successful Satyagraha conducted at Champaran in Bihar, Gandhi organised the movement to support peasants who were unable to pay the revenue because of famine and plague epidemic.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Maulana Mazharul Haque</span> Indian freedom fighter

Maulana Mazharul Haque was an educator, lawyer, independence activist of the Indian National Movement.

The Tinkathia System or Teen Kathia System, was an economic policy enforced by the East India Company in India. It was practiced largely in Eastern India and in states such as Bihar. The Tinkathia System was challenged by the Champaran Satyagraha led by Mahatma Gandhi, this in turn became a watershed moment in the Indian independence movement and it was based on that peasants had to grow indigo on the 3 parts of the land out of 20 parts.

References

  1. ↑ Select Documents On Mahatma Gandhi's Movement In Champaran 1916-17. Government of Bihar. 1963. pp. Page No. 63.
  2. ↑ Gandhi, Mohandas Karamchand (1 February 1931). My experiments with truth. Ahmedabad: Sarvodaya.
  3. ↑ Nehru, Jawaharlal (1 June 1937). An Autobiography (1 ed.). London: Bodley Head.
  4. ↑ aicc. "SATYAGRAHA MOVEMENT OF MAHATMA GANDHI". aicc. Archived from the original on 6 December 2006. Retrieved 8 December 2006.
  5. ↑ ":: Indian national congress - History". 25 June 2008. Archived from the original on 25 June 2008. Retrieved 4 August 2017.
  6. ↑ Farin, Hunt (1 January 1999). The India-China opium trade in the nineteenth century (1 ed.). North Carolina: Jefferson.
  7. ↑ Farooqi, Amar (1 December 2016). Opium city: the making of early Victorian Bombay. Mumbai: Three essays. Retrieved 30 October 2018.
  8. ↑ Brown, Judith Margaret (1972). Gandhi's Rise to Power: Indian Politics 1915-1922. New Delhi: Cambridge University Press Archive. p. 384. ISBN   978-0-521-09873-1.
  9. ↑ "The Telegraph - Calcutta (Kolkata) | Bihar | Gandhi heritage cries for upkeep". www.telegraphindia.com. Archived from the original on 21 May 2012. Retrieved 4 August 2017.
  10. ↑ Sarkar, Sumit (1 January 2019). Modern India 1886-1947. Pearson Education India. ISBN   9789332540859 – via Google Books.
  11. ↑ "When Mahatma Gandhi arrived in Bihar | Patna News - Times of India".
  12. ↑ "When Tagore accused Gandhi of superstition". The Indian Express. 28 March 2020. Retrieved 5 November 2022.
  13. ↑ "The Champaran Bill: Planters' Opposition". The Hindu. 20 February 2018.
  14. ↑ "Work on to revive Gandhian thought". Archived from the original on 12 June 2018. Retrieved 4 August 2017.
  15. ↑ "When Gandhi became Mahatma". Archived from the original on 21 April 2017.
  16. ↑ "Champaran Satyagraha- India's First Civil Disobedience Movement". December 2020.
  17. ↑ "Why is Mahatma's Champaran Satyagraha Still Relevant?| Countercurrents".
  18. ↑ "Select Documents on Mahatma Gandhi's Movement in Champaran, No. 218".
  19. ↑ "The man who dismantled the empire". 18 September 2019.
  20. ↑ "Gandhi's Satyagraha in Champaran".
  21. ↑ "Year-long celebrations to mark Champaran Satyagraha's 100th year begin in Bihar". Zee News. 10 April 2017. Retrieved 4 August 2017.
  22. ↑ "Haunted by memories". India Today newspaper. 20 October 2003. Retrieved 5 January 2017.
  23. ↑ Jain, Manik (2018). Phila India Guide Book. Philatelia. p. 325.
  24. ↑ "Stamps 2017". India Postage Stamps. Archived from the original on 29 September 2020. Retrieved 26 January 2020.
  25. ↑ "Modi to attend Champaran Satyagraha celebrations in Bihar".

Further reading

This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.