Class 12 English - BIHAR
Prose: Indigo
Indigo by Louis Fischer, prescribed for Class 12 Bihar Board students under the English textbook Rainbow, narrates Mahatma Gandhi's struggle for the poor sharecroppers of Champaran in Bihar. The chapter highlights the exploitation of Indian peasants by British landlords who forced them to grow indigo on 15% of their land. It marks a pivotal moment in India's freedom struggle, showing how Gandhi's method of civil disobedience and self-reliance forced the British to refund injustice money. For BSEB board exams, this chapter is crucial as it frequently features long-answer questions about Champaran's history, Gandhi's leadership, and character sketches.
Start Learning FreeKey Concepts
The Champaran Episode
A historic civil disobedience movement initiated by Gandhi in 1917 to help exploited sharecroppers in Bihar.
The Sharecropping System
An oppressive arrangement where Indian tenants were compelled by British landlords to plant 15 percent of their holdings with indigo.
Rajkumar Shukla
A resolute and impoverished sharecropper from Bihar whose persistent efforts brought Mahatma Gandhi to Champaran.
Civil Disobedience
Gandhi's strategy of peacefully refusing to obey unjust laws, which he first successfully applied on Indian soil in Champaran.
The Principle of Self-Reliance
Gandhi's refusal of British help (like Charles Freer Andrews) to prove that Indians must stand on their own feet during the freedom struggle.
Important Formulas
Board Exam Info
In the Bihar (BSEB) Class 12 English board exams, 'Indigo' carries significant weight, usually accounting for 5 to 8 marks. Questions generally appear as objective multiple-choice questions (MCQs), short-answer questions (2 marks) about plot details like Rajkumar Shukla's role or the British landlords, and long-answer questions (5 marks) focusing on the significance of the Champaran movement and Gandhi's leadership qualities.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why is the chapter named 'Indigo'?
The chapter is named 'Indigo' because it centers around the brutal exploitation of Indian peasants forced by British planters to cultivate indigo, and Gandhi's successful campaign against this oppressive system in Champaran.
Who was Rajkumar Shukla and what was his role?
Rajkumar Shukla was a poor, resolute sharecropper from Bihar who persistently followed Mahatma Gandhi to various places until Gandhi agreed to visit Champaran to look into the grievances of the farmers.
What was the significance of the Champaran movement?
It was India's first successful civil disobedience movement, which boosted the confidence of Indian peasants and marked a major turning point in the Indian national freedom struggle.
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