apr 17, 1917 - Champaran Satyagraha 1917

Description:

In 1914 and 1916, the farmers in this region(Bihar) had revolted against the British against the conditions that they imposed for indigo cultivation.

Called India's first Civil Disobedience Movement. Gandhi was given the names ‘Bapu’ and ‘Mahatma’ by the people.

Mahatma Gandhiji was persuaded by Pandit Raj Kumar Shukla to visit the indigo region. Gandhi established an ashram in Champaran.
{The word Satyagraha was used for the first time in Anti Rowlatt Act agitation.}

European planters had forced the peasants to grow indigo on 3/20 of the total land area (called tinkathia system). Even in the throes of a devastating famine, the British government levied a heavy tax on them and insisted on increasing the rate.
Peasants in Champaran revolted against the government in indigo plant cultivation in 1914 (at Pipra) and in 1916 at (Turkaulia).

Gandhi defied the order and chose to face the consequences. This method of passive resistance or civil disobedience in the face of an unjust order was novel at the time. He managed to abolish the tinkathia system and compensate the peasants for the illegal dues extracted from them.

He agreed to compensate them for only 25% of the money taken.
Within a decade, the planters had abandoned the area. Gandhi had won India's first battle of civil disobedience.

Added to timeline:

Date: