Complete NCERT Solution Class 12 English Flamingo
Updated pn January 4, 2024
Most Important Points to Answer Questions of Indigo
Here are 20 points summarising the information provided about the chapter “Indigo” by Louis Fischer in Class 12 English (Flamingo):
- The setting of the chapter is the 1916 annual convention of the Indian National Congress in Lucknow.
- Englishmen owned the majority of the arable land in Champaran, and Indian tenants worked it.
- The chief commercial crop was indigo, and sharecroppers had to pay 15% of their holdings in indigo as rent.
- After Germany developed synthetic indigo, landlords exploited farmers, forcing them to pay 15% to be released from agreements.
- This exploitation became the primary cause of the Champaran movement.
- Raj Kumar Shukla arranged a meeting between Mahatma Gandhi and the affected farmers.
- Gandhi advised against legal battles, emphasising that true relief for farmers was freedom from fear.
- Gandhi’s arrival marked the beginning of the National Freedom Movement in Champaran.
- Despite resistance, Gandhi gathered information about indigo disputes.
- Gandhi’s visit to the British Landlords’ Association was met with a refusal to share details.
- The commissioner advised Gandhiji to leave Tirhut, but he received a court notice the next day.
- The people of Motihari opposed Gandhi’s arrest warrant, and the judge took no action.
- The battle of Champaran was won, and Gandhiji stayed for seven months, planning civil disobedience.
- The final settlement on Indigo was less about the refund amount and more about the landlords surrendering part of their prestige.
- The movement empowered farmers to know their rights and gain courage.
- British planters abandoned estates, leading to the disappearance of indigo sharecropping.
- Gandhi addressed social and cultural backwardness by opening six primary schools in Champaran.
- Poor health conditions and unclean clothing motivated Gandhiji to improve living conditions.
- The Champaran episode was a turning point in Gandhi’s life, teaching self-reliance.
- Louis Fischer emphasises how Indigo intertwines self-sufficiency, Indian independence, and assistance to sharecroppers.
20 Difficult Words and Meaning in Indigo
- Urge (verb): To strongly advocate or recommend the departure or action.
- Harbour (verb): To shelter or give refuge to; in this context, it means to provide support or protection.
- Conflict (noun): A serious disagreement or struggle, in this case, a conflict of duties refers to conflicting responsibilities.
- Seek (verb): To attempt to find or obtain; here, it means to actively look for support or guidance.
- Prop (noun): A means of support or assistance; seeking a prop implies searching for support.
- Ashram (noun): A secluded place for meditation and spiritual development; Gandhi’s ashram was a retreat for reflection and work.
- Convention (noun): A large meeting or assembly; here, it refers to the annual convention of the Indian National Congress party.
- Peasant (noun): A poor farmer or agricultural laborer, often working on rented land.
- Emaciated (adjective): Extremely thin or weak, especially due to illness or lack of food.
- Resolute (adjective): Determined and unwavering in purpose or opinion.
- Appointed (adjective): Decided upon or chosen for a particular job or role.
- Indigo (noun): A plant or its color, historically important for dye production.
- Nominate (verb): To officially suggest someone for a position or role; in this context, it refers to fixing a date for the visit.
- Bully (verb): To use force or threats to intimidate or oppress; the British official commissioner tried to bully Gandhi.
- Summon (verb): To call someone to appear, typically before a court; Gandhi received a summons to appear in court.
- Baffled (adjective): Confused or bewildered; the government officials were baffled by Gandhi’s actions.
- Civil Disobedience (noun): The refusal to comply with certain laws or commands as a peaceful form of political protest.
- Triumph (noun): A great victory or success; civil disobedience triumphed in Champaran.
- Inquiry (noun): A systematic investigation or examination; an official commission of inquiry was appointed.
- Self-reliance (noun): The ability to depend on oneself and make independent decisions; a key principle in Gandhi’s philosophy.
Indigo NCERT Textbook Questions Solved Flamingo Class 12 English
The Name of the Author of Indigo: Louis Fischer
Think as You Read
Page 47
Question.1. Strike out what is not true in the following:
(a)Rajkumar Shukla was:
(i)a sharecropper (ii)a politician
(iii)delegate (iv)a landlord.
(b) Rajkumar Shukla was:
(i) poor (ii)physically strong
(iii) illiterate.
Ans:(a) (ii)a politician
(b) physically strong
Question.2. Why is Rajkumar Shukla described as being ‘resolute’?
Ans. As Gandhi recounted, “a peasant came up to me looking like any other peasant in India, poor and emaciated.” Rajkumar Shukla was a determined farmer, and he didn’t lose heart until he finally got consent from Gandhiji to visit Champaran. Thus, we can say that Rajkumar Shukla was a determined sharecropper.
Question.3. Why do you think the servants thought Gandhi to be another peasant?
Ans. Rajkumar Shukla insisted on taking Gandhiji with him to Champaran. On their way, they stayed at the house of Rajendra Prasad, who later became the President of India. The servant knew Shukla as a poor “woman,” or farmer. Therefore, the servant considered Gandhiji as another poor farmer and allowed him to stay at home, but he didn’t allow Gandhiji to draw water from the well, thinking he might be an untouchable person. As a result, the author provides a detailed explanation of untouchability in Bihar.
Think as You Read
Page 49
Question.1. List the places that Gandhi visited between his first meeting with Shukla and his arrival at Champaran.
Ans. Rajkumar Shukla visited Lucknow, where the Indian National Congress was going on. For weeks, Rajkumar Shukla followed Gandhi to Calcutta. Then, both of them left for Patna in Bihar, where they stayed at the house of Rajendra Prasad. Gandhi then visited Muzzafarpur. The farmers wanted their money back from landlords due to the development of synthetic indigo in Germany. “At this point, Gandhi arrived in Champaran”.
Question.2. What did the peasants pay the British landlords as rent? What did the British now want instead and why? What would be the impact of synthetic indigo on the prices of natural indigo?
Ans. Most of the arable land in the Chamarran was divided into large estates owned by Englishmen and worked by Indian tenants. The chief commercial crop was indigo, and the sharecroppers needed to pay 15 percent of their holdings in indigo and surrender the entire indigo harvest as rent. As a result, the landlords exploited the sharecroppers after Germany developed synthetic indigo, and the farmers were compelled to pay 15 percent to be released from the long-term agreement. So, this dispute became the chief cause of the Champaran movement as the prices of natural indigo crashed, and therefore, the production of indigo was no more a business of profit. Raj Kumar Shukla arranges for a meeting with Gandhi. Mahatma Gandhi led the farmers’ movement and went to Muzzafarpur to learn the details of the indigo disputes.
Think as You Read
Page 51
Question.1. The events in this part of the text illustrate Gandhi’s method of working. Can you identify some instances of this method and link them to his ideas of Satyagraha and non-violence?
Ans. Louis Fischer explained that Gandhiji “had read our minds” and “taught us a lesson in self-reliance.” Thus, in Indigo, Gandhi works on self-sufficiency, Indian independence, and sharecropper assistance, and helps us understand how these three movements are intertwined. Gandhiji didn’t want to break the rule of the law, and therefore, he was ready for court arrest and was happy to be in jail for breaking the law. We also come to know that during the Dandi March, he broke the “salt law,” but he always adopted the peaceful movement of non-violence. Thus, we always find that Gandhiji followed Satyagraha and non-violence.
Think as You Read
Page 53
Question.1. Why did Gandhi agree to a settlement of a 25 percent refund to the farmers?
Ans. Champaran Movement became a symbol of Indian Independence. Gandhi agreed to a settlement of a 25 percent refund to the farmers as he explained, “The real relief for them is to be free from fear.” Mahatma Gandhi helped the Indian farmers to come out of the fear of English landlords who used to exploit the sharecroppers of Champaran. Therefore, Gandhi knew the importance of courage in fighting against the exploitation of landlords.
Question.2. How did the episode change the plight of the peasants?
Ans. The Champaran episode changed the plight of the farmers as they became fearless after this movement. Gandhiji also explained this in his talk to Louis Fischer, “The real relief for them is to be free from fear.” Thus, the Champaran episode was a “turning point” in Gandhi’s life. Louis Fischer further explained that Gandhiji “had read our minds…taught us a lesson in self-reliance.” Thus, in Indigo, the author elaborates on self-sufficiency, Indian independence, and sharecropper assistance, and helps us understand how these three movements are intertwined.
Understanding the text
Page 54
Question.1. Why do you think Gandhi considered the Champaran episode to be a turning point in his life?
Answer: The Champaran episode changed the plight of the farmers as they became fearless after this movement. Gandhiji also explained this in his talk to Louis Fischer, “The real relief for them is to be free from fear.” Thus, the Champaran episode was a “turning point” in Gandhi’s life. Louis Fischer further explained that Gandhiji “had read our minds…taught us a lesson in self-reliance.” Thus, in Indigo, the author elaborates on self-sufficiency, Indian independence, and sharecropper assistance, and helps us understand how these three movements are intertwined.
Thus, the Champaran episode changed the plight of the farmers as they became fearless after this movement. Gandhiji also explained this in his talk to Louis Fischer, “The real relief for them is to be free from fear.” Thus, the Champaran episode was a “turning point” in Gandhi’s life. Louis Fischer further explained that Gandhiji “had read our minds…taught us a lesson in self-reliance.”
Question.2. How was Gandhi able to influence lawyers? Give instances.
Ans. Louis Fischer explained that Gandhiji “had read our minds” and “taught us a lesson in self-reliance.” Thus, in Indigo, Gandhi works on self-sufficiency, Indian independence, and sharecropper assistance, and helps us understand how these three movements are intertwined. Gandhiji didn’t want to break the rule of the law, and therefore, he was ready for court arrest and was happy to be in jail for breaking the law. We also come to know that during the Dandi March, he broke the “salt law,” but he always adopted the peaceful movement of non-violence. Thus, we always find that Gandhiji followed Satyagraha and non-violence.
Question. 3. What was the attitude of the average Indian in smaller localities towards advocates of ‘home rule rule
Ans. The attitude of the average Indian in smaller localities towards advocates of “home rule” was encouraging, as we saw in Champaran, where people gathered in large numbers to support Gandhiji, who came to help the sharecroppers in Champaran. Moreover, Gandhiji mentioned at one point that the government teacher was also participating in the freedom movement, which was an extraordinary thing in those days. Professor J.B. Kriplani received Gandhi at Muzaffarpur railway station at midnight. Therefore, the attitude of the average Indian in smaller localities towards advocates of “home rule” was appreciable.
Indigo Complete NCERT Solution Class 12 English Flamingo
Indigo Additional Important Questions Solved
Indigo Short Answer Type Questions Solved NCERT Class 12 English Flamingo
Q1.Who was Rajkumar Shukla? Why did he come to Lucknow?
Ans. Rajkumar Shukla was a farmer from Champaran who came to meet Gandhiji to take him to Champaran to solve the problems of sharecroppers. He came to Lucknow to take Gandhiji to Champaran.
Q2. How did the development of synthetic indigo affect the English estate owners and the Indian tenants?
Ans. The English Landlords found indigo is now not a business of profit as Germany had developed synthetic inindigoTherefore’ they wanted the money back from the sharecroppers as compensation for realizing the long-term contract of 15 percent. They extorted money illegally and forcefully. Indian tenants were at a big loss in returning the contract money.
Q3. Why do you think Gandhi was not permitted to draw water from Rajendra Prasad’s well at Patna?
Ans. Rajkumar Shukla insisted on taking Gandhiji with him to Champaran. On their way, they stayed at the house of Rajendra Prasad, who later became the President of India. The servant knew Shukla as a poor “woman,” or farmer. Therefore, the servant considered Gandhiji as another poor farmer and allowed him to stay at home, but he didn’t allow Gandhiji to draw water from the well, thinking he might be an untouchable person. As a result, the author provides a detailed explanation of untouchability in Bihar.
Q4. Why did Gandhi decide to go first to Muzaffarpur before going to Champaran?
Ans. Gandhi had never been to Champaran before, which is situated in the foothills of the Himalayas near the kingdom of Nepal. He considers Rajkumar Shukla a determined farmer who came to meet Gandhiji to take him to Champaran, where farmers were exploited by the landlords. So, he decided to go to Muzaffarpur to understand the matter of sharecroppers in detail.
Q5. Why did Gandhi chide the lawyers? What according to him was the real relief for the sharecroppers? (HBSE 2018)
Ans. “The real relief for them is to be free from fear.” Mahatma Gandhi helped the Indian farmers to come out of the fear of English landlords who used to exploit the sharecroppers of Champaran. So, he asked the lawyers not to fight the farmers’ case in court. Moreover, he chided the lawyers for charging huge fees to the farmers. Thus, he believed that ‘liberation from fear of the British’ was more important than making the farmers self-reliant.
Q6. What according to Gandhi was the beginning of the poor peasants’ ‘Liberation front fear of the British’?
Ans. He chided the lawyers for charging huge fees to the farmers. Thus, he believed that ‘liberation from fear of the British’ was more important than making the farmers self-reliant. Where the peasants are so crushed and fear-stricken, law courts are useless. He knew that “The real relief for them is to be free from fear.”
Q7. Why did Gandhiji feel that taking the Champaran case to the court was useless?[Delhi 2014]
Ans. “The real relief for them is that they are no longer afraid.” Mahatma Gandhi assisted Indian farmers in overcoming their fear of English landlords who used to exploit Champaran sharecroppers. As a result, he instructed the lawyers not to fight the farmers’ case in court. Furthermore, he chastised the lawyers for charging the farmers exorbitant fees. As a result, he believed that “liberation from fear of the British” was more important in empowering farmers.
Q8. “Civil disobedience had triumphed, the first time in modern India.” How?
Ans. ” The arrival of Gandhi Ji in Chamaparan marks the beginning of the National Freedom movement in Champaran”. When Gandhi Ji visited the secretary of the British Landlords’ association, the secretary considered him an outsider and refused to furnish any details of the agreement on Indigo. Then, the Commissioner advised Gandhiji to leave Tirhut. The next day, he received a notice from the court to appear before it. The next morning, the people of Motihari gathered and started opposing the arrest warrant for Gandhiji. The judge didn’t pronounce any orders against Gandhiji. This way, “the battle of Champaran is won”. Thus, Gandhiji laid a detailed plan for civil disobedience.
Q9. What do you think, led Gandhi to exclaim “The battle of Champaran is won”?
Ans. ” The arrival of Gandhi Ji in Chamaparan marks the beginning of the National Freedom movement in Champaran”. Then, the Commissioner advised Gandhiji to leave Tirhut. The next day, he received a notice from the court to appear before it. The next morning, the people of Motihari gathered and started opposing the arrest warrant for Gandhiji. The judge didn’t pronounce any orders against Gandhiji. This way, “the battle of Champaran is won”. Thus, Gandhiji laid a detailed plan for civil disobedience.
Q10. What amount of repayment did the big planters think Gandhi would demand? What did Gandhi ask? What amount was finally settled?
Ans. The planters thought that Gandhi would demand They thought he would demand repayment in full of the money which they had illegally and deceitfully extorted from the sharecroppers. But Gandhiji accepted only 25 percent compensation for the sharecroppers as he knew that “The real relief for them is to be free from fear.”
Q11. Which other spheres besides political or economic fields received Gandhi’s attention during his long stay in Champaran?
Ans. Mahatama Gandhi wanted to do something about the social and cultural backwardness in the Champaran villages. Therefore, he opened six primary schools in six villages. The health conditions and the filthy state of women’s clothes compelled Gandhiji to do something to improve the miserable conditions of people in Champaran.
Q12. How did Gandhi teach his followers a lesson of self-reliance?
Ans. “He had read our minds correctly,’’ Rajendra Prasad comments, “and we had no reply… Gandhi in this way taught us a lesson in self-reliance’’. Self-reliance, Indian independence, and help to sharecroppers were all bound together. The health conditions and the filthy state of women’s clothes compelled Gandhiji to do something to improve the miserable conditions of people in Champaran. He saw the cultural and social backwardness in the Champaran villages and wanted to do something about it immediately. The Champaran episode was a turning-point in
Gandhi’s life.
Q13. When and where did Gandhi decide “to urge the departure of the British” and why?
Ans. Gandhiji saw the cultural and social backwardness in the Champaran villages and wanted to do something about it immediately. The Champaran episode was a turning point in Gandhi’s life as he saw a lot of problems in Champaran. He came to know that it was fear among people that should be removed first. “What I did,” he explained, “was a very ordinary thing. I declared that the British could not order me about in my own country.”
Q14. What issues did Gandhi undertake in Champaran? (HBSE 2018).
OR
Q14. “The Champaran episode was a turning point in Gandhi’s life”? How do you justify that?
Ans. Self-reliance, Indian independence, and help to sharecroppers were all bound together. The health conditions and the filthy state of women’s clothes compelled Gandhiji to do something to improve the miserable conditions of people in Champaran. He saw the cultural and social backwardness in the Champaran villages and wanted to do something about it immediately. The Champaran episode was a turning point in Gandhi’s life.
Q15. Why was Shukla considered a yeoman? (HBSE 2018)
Ans. Shukla was a sharecropper of Champaran who was a poor man like all other farmers. He went to Rajendra Prasad’s house with Gandhiji, and the servant considered him a yeoman. Thus, like all other farmers, he was a poor farmer.
Q16. How did Gandhi express his inability to accompany Rajkumar Shukla? (HBSE 2019)
Ans. Gandhi recounted, “a peasant came up to me looking like any other peasant in India, poor and emaciated, and said, ‘I am Rajkumar Shukla. I am from Champaran, and I want you to come to my district’!’’ Gandhiji was very busy in those days. So, he told Shukla about his inability to accompany Rajkumar Shukla. Gandhiji further explained Shukla was illiterate but resolute. He had come to the Congress session to complain about the injustice of the landlord system in Bihar.
Q17. How was Gandhiji treated at Rajendra Prasad’s house? (HBSE 2020)
Ans. Rajkumar Shukla insisted on taking Gandhiji with him to Champaran. On their way, they stayed at the house of Rajendra Prasad, who later became the President of India. The servant knew Shukla as a poor “woman,” or farmer. Therefore, the servant considered Gandhiji as another poor farmer and allowed him to stay at home, but he didn’t allow Gandhiji to draw water from the well, thinking he might be an untouchable person. As a result, the author provides a detailed explanation of untouchability in Bihar.
Q18. Why did Gandhiji go to Lucknow in December 1916? Who met him there and why? (HBSE2019)
Ans. The background of the chapter, Indigo, was set in 1916 at the annual convention of the Indian National Congress party in Lucknow. Gandhi recounted, “a peasant came up to me looking like any other peasant in India, poor and emaciated, and said, ‘I am Rajkumar Shukla. I am from Champaran, and I want you to come to my district’!’’ Shukla was illiterate but resolute. He had come to the Congress session to complain about the injustice of the landlord system in Bihar.
Q.19. When did Louis Fisher visit Gandhiji? According to him when did Gandhiji decide that it was the right time for the Britishers to leave India?
Ans. Louis Fisher visited Gandhiji in 1942. In 1917, Gandhiji decided that it was the right time for the Britishers to leave India. The author explains in Indigo about the Indian freedom movement and role of Gandhiji.
Q.20. Who visited the Indian National Congress annual convention held in Lucknow? Why did he visit the convention?
Ans.
The Indian National Congress annual convention was held in Lucknow in 1916. There were 2301 delegates present at the convention. Gandhiji was also attending the convention. Raj Kumar Shukla, a poor but “resolute” man, visited the convention to take Gandhi with him to Champaran to help the sharecroppers of Champaran who had been exploited by the British landlords.
Q.21. Why was Gandhiji impressed by Raj Kumar Shukla?
Ans. Raj Kumar Shuklawas a poor but determined farmer. He visited the Congress annual convention in Lucknow to meet Gandhiji. Gandhiji was impressed by Raj Kumar Shukla by his “tenacity”. Gandhi asked Shukla to meet him in Calcutta. He took Gandhiji to Dr. Rajendra Prasad’s house.
Q.22. Why did Gandhi decide not to fight the sharecroppers’s case in court? Why did he chide the advocates?
Ans. The news of Gandhiji’s arrival spread quickly. Gandhiji was the champion of sharecroppers in Champaran. He chided the lawyers for charging high fees to poor farmers. It was pointless to fight in the courts as the people were terrified. Farmers’ fears could not be dispelled by the legal system. The real relief for farmers is to be free from “fear”.
Q.23. Who was J.B. Kripalini? Who was waiting at the train station to receive Gandhi?
Ans. Muzzafarpur was en route to Champaran. J.B. Kripalini was a Professor. He sent a telegram to Professor J.B. Kripalani. He was working at an arts college in Muzzafarpur. The train reached Muzzafarpur on April 15, 1917, at midnight. Professor J.B. Kripalini was waiting at the station.
Indigo Complete NCERT Solution Class 12 English Flamingo
Indigo Long Answer Type Questions Solved NCERT Class 12 English Flamingo
Designed by M.S. YADAV, Lecturer in English
Long Answers Type Questions
The Indigo long answer questions will help the students to check their writing skills and how much they have understood the text of the chapter, Indigo. These questions are designed with utter care to make students comfortable in securing maximum marks, as we have seen that students make mistakes in attempting long questions and answers. Therefore, the students must follow the pattern to avoid the cutting of marks by the examiner in marking the papers of class 12 English.
Q1. What solution to the problems of the poor did Gandhi suggest? How far did the Champaran movement help in this direction?
OR
“The real relief for them is to be free from fear”, remarked Gandhi. What do you think, was “the beginning of their liberation from the fear of the British”?
Answer: “The real relief for them is that they are no longer afraid.” Mahatma Gandhi assisted Indian farmers in overcoming their fear of English landlords who used to exploit Champaran sharecroppers. As a result, he instructed the lawyers not to fight the farmers’ case in court. Furthermore, he chastised the lawyers for charging the farmers exorbitant fees. As a result, he believed that “liberation from fear of the British” was more important in empowering farmers.
Moreover, Gandhiji knew that self-reliance, Indian independence, and help to sharecroppers were all bound together. The health conditions and the filthy state of women’s clothes compelled Gandhiji to do something to improve the miserable conditions of people in Champaran. He saw the cultural and social backwardness in the Champaran villages and wanted to do something about it immediately.
Thus, the Champaran episode changed the plight of the farmers as they became fearless after this movement. Gandhiji also explained this in his talk to Louis Fischer, “The real relief for them is to be free from fear.” Thus, the Champaran episode was a “turning point” in Gandhi’s life. Louis Fischer further explained that Gandhiji “had read our minds…taught us a lesson in self-reliance.” Thus, in Indigo, the author elaborates on self-sufficiency, Indian independence, and sharecropper assistance, and helps us understand how these three movements are intertwined.
Q2. Why was Gandhi summoned to appear in the court? How did he gain his liberty?
OR
‘Civil disobedience had triumphed, the first time in modern India.’Relate the events during Gandhi’s stay in Champaran that led to the triumph.
Ans. ” The arrival of Gandhi Ji in Chamaparan marks the beginning of the National Freedom movement in Champaran”. Then, the Commissioner advised Gandhiji to leave Tirhut. The next day, he received a notice from the court to appear before it. The next morning, the people of Motihari gathered and started opposing the arrest warrant for Gandhiji. The judge didn’t pronounce any orders against Gandhiji. This way, “the battle of Champaran is won”. Thus, Gandhiji laid a detailed plan for civil disobedience.
Gandhiji knew that “The real relief for them is that they are no longer afraid.” Mahatma Gandhi assisted Indian farmers in overcoming their fear of English landlords who used to exploit Champaran sharecroppers. As a result, he instructed the lawyers not to fight the farmers’ case in court. Furthermore, he chastised the lawyers for charging the farmers exorbitant fees. As a result, he believed that “liberation from fear of the British” was more important in empowering farmers.
Thus, the Champaran episode was a “turning point” in Gandhi’s life. Louis Fischer further explained that Gandhiji “had read our minds…taught us a lesson in self-reliance.” Thus, in Indigo, the author elaborates on self-sufficiency, Indian independence, and sharecropper assistance, and helps us understand how these three movements are intertwined.
Q3. Give an account of Gandhi’s efforts to secure justice for the poor indigo sharecroppers of Champaran.
OR
“Indigo sharecropping disappeared.” Which factors do you think, helped to achieve freedom for the fear-stricken peasants of Champaran?
Ans. Most of the arable land in the Chamarran was divided into large estates owned by Englishmen and worked by Indian tenants. The chief commercial crop was indigo, and the sharecroppers needed to pay 15 percent of their holdings in indigo and surrender the entire indigo harvest as rent. As a result, the landlords exploited the sharecroppers after Germany developed synthetic indigo, and the farmers were compelled to pay 15 percent to be released from the long-term agreement. So, this dispute became the chief cause of the Champaran movement as the prices of natural indigo crashed, and therefore, the production of indigo was no more a business of profit. Raj Kumar Shukla arranges for a meeting with Gandhi. Mahatma Gandhi led the farmers’ movement and went to Muzzafarpur to learn the details of the indigo disputes.
Gandhiji knew that “The real relief for them is that they are no longer afraid.” Mahatma Gandhi assisted Indian farmers in overcoming their fear of English landlords who used to exploit Champaran sharecroppers. As a result, he instructed the lawyers not to fight the farmers’ case in court. As a result, he believed that “liberation from fear of the British” was more important in empowering farmers.
Q5. ‘Self-reliance, Indian independence, and help to sharecroppers were all bound together.’ Elucidate based on reading ‘Indigo’ by Louis Fischer.
OR
‘The Champaran episode was a turning point in Gandhi’s life. Explain with examples from ‘Indigo’ by Louis Fischer.
Answer: Gandhiji knew that self-reliance, Indian independence, and help to sharecroppers were all bound together. The health conditions and the filthy state of women’s clothes compelled Gandhiji to do something to improve the miserable conditions of people in Champaran. He saw the cultural and social backwardness in the Champaran villages and wanted to do something about it immediately.
“The real relief for them is that they are no longer afraid.” Mahatma Gandhi assisted Indian farmers in overcoming their fear of English landlords who used to exploit Champaran sharecroppers. As a result, he instructed the lawyers not to fight the farmers’ case in court. Furthermore, he chastised the lawyers for charging the farmers exorbitant fees. As a result, he believed that “liberation from fear of the British” was more important in empowering farmers.
Thus, the Champaran episode changed the plight of the farmers as they became fearless after this movement. Gandhiji also explained this in his talk to Louis Fischer, “The real relief for them is to be free from fear.” Thus, the Champaran episode was a “turning point” in Gandhi’s life. Louis Fischer further explained that Gandhiji “had read our minds…taught us a lesson in self-reliance.” Thus, in Indigo, the author elaborates on self-sufficiency, Indian independence, and sharecropper assistance, and helps us understand how these three movements are intertwined.
Q6. Justify the appropriateness of the title ‘Indigo’ to this extract.
Answer: The title of Indigo plays a very important role in the development of the freedom movement in Champaran. The whole story revolves around the title of Indigo. Gandhi used efficiently used Indigoremove the fear from the minds of the farmers of Champaran.
Indigo’s title in English Class 12 Flamingo will be a gateway to understanding the major constituents of the Champaran Movement, which became a symbol of Indian Independence. “The real relief for them is to be free from fear.” Mahatma Gandhi helped the Indian farmers to come out of the fear of English landlords who used to exploit the sharecroppers of Champaran. The Indigo title for English 12 Flamingo will furnish the major points of Indigo to the students. Most of the arable land in the Chamarran was divided into large estates owned by Englishmen and worked by Indian tenants. The chief commercial crop was indigo. Following that, the movement assisted peasants in becoming courageous and alert to their fundamental rights. Furthermore, Gandhiji worked not only on political and economic issues but also on social ones. He worked to improve their education, health, and hygiene and instilled confidence in them.
Thus, we can say that the title of the chapter, Indigo, is appropriate and suitable for understanding the background of the Indian Freedom movement. ” The arrival of Gandhi Ji in Chamaparan marks the beginning of the National Freedom movement in Champaran.”
Q8. Why is the Champaran episode considered to be the beginning of the Indian struggle for Independence? [All India 2014]
Answer: ” The arrival of Gandhi Ji in Chamaparan marks the beginning of the National Freedom movement in Champaran”. “The real relief for them is that they are no longer afraid.” Mahatma Gandhi assisted Indian farmers in overcoming their fear of English landlords who used to exploit Champaran sharecroppers. As a result, he instructed the lawyers not to fight the farmers’ case in court. Furthermore, he chastised the lawyers for charging the farmers exorbitant fees. As a result, he believed that “liberation from fear of the British” was more important in empowering farmers.
Thus, the Champaran episode changed the plight of the farmers as they became fearless after this movement. Gandhiji also explained this in his talk to Louis Fischer, “The real relief for them is to be free from fear.” Thus, the Champaran episode was a “turning point” in Gandhi’s life. Louis Fischer further explained that Gandhiji “had read our minds…taught us a lesson in self-reliance.” Thus, in Indigo, the author elaborates on self-sufficiency, Indian independence, and sharecropper assistance, and helps us understand how these three movements are intertwined.
Thus, the Champaran episode changed the plight of the farmers as they became fearless after this movement. Gandhiji also explained this in his talk to Louis Fischer, “The real relief for them is to be free from fear.” Thus, the Champaran episode was a “turning point” in Gandhi’s life. Louis Fischer further explained that Gandhiji “had read our minds…taught us a lesson in self-reliance.”
Indigo Complete NCERT Solution Class 12 English Flamingo
Talking About The Text
Discuss the following:
Question.1. “Freedom from fear is more important than Legal justice for the poor.” Do you think that the poor of India are free from fear after Independence?
Answer:Survival has always been the most important thing for all living beings, and humans are not an exception. In India, all sections of society are worried about their existence even after the freedom we got in 1947. Poor people are struggling for their food, clothing, and education, and they are exploited by others even after independence, which we daily see in different forms. Politicians, police, and bureaucracy The situations are improving, but still, a lot has to be done for the poor as they still struggle for two meals a day.
In Champaran, the farmers were exploited by the British landlords, and in free India, they are still not allowed to live like freemen in a free country. Moreover, we see daily in newspapers that poverty has become responsible for the deaths of so many people in India. Poor children are deficient in vitamins and proteins. The education system still requires a lot to do for the poor of India. They face many problems due to their illiteracy and ignorance and are exploited by the system in free India. Thus, we can say that the poor are still struggling to feel free and are largely exploited in the same way as the peasants of Champaran, and they still need an honest leader like Gandhi who can bring about a change in their social and cultural life. “Freedom from fear is more important than legal justice for the poor.” is still valid in India. Farmers are still committing suicide in free India and their conditions are worsening day by day.
Question.2. What are the qualities of a good leader? or The qualities of a good leader.
Answer:A good leader in the true sense of the word means someone who appeals to the masses and the people who follow him. A true leader is a man of principles, honesty, moral values, and who cares for his people, as we saw when Gandhiji came to Champaran to fight for justice, which was not available for the sharecroppers of Champaran. True love can remove fear from the minds of people and help them to fight for their rights, and Gandhi did the same thing in Champaran. He assisted the people in developing the courage to fight the oppression of the British landlords. Unfortunately, India is lacking a leader of Gandhiji’s caliber who can help the people come out of their problems. Moreover, nepotism is prevailing in Indian politics, where personal benefits have an edge over the masses. As a result, we can say that a good leader should be a model for others to follow, as our great leaders Gandhiji, Jawahar Lal Nehru, and Patel were in uniting Indians against British oppression and injustice.
Indigo Complete NCERT Solution Class 12 English Flamingo
Working with Words
1. List the words used in the text that are related to legal procedures.
For example deposition
Answer: Summons, Notice, prosecutor, trial, plead, guilty, order, penalty, sentence, bail, judgment, prison, case, inquiry, evidence, commission.
•List other words that you know that fall into this category.
Answer: Complaint, complainant, decree, defendant, witness, prosecution, defense, sessions, jury, verdict, decision.
Indigo Complete NCERT Solution Class 12 English Flamingo
Thinking of Language
Question.1. Notice the sentences in the text which are in ‘direct speech. Why does the author use quotations in his narration?
Answer:
The direct form of sentences is more appealing to readers and the author, and it is easily remembered by the readers. In Indigo, Louis Fischer has used them to inform the readers that the words are not his, but that the words in “inverted commas” are the words used by Gandhiji and have more appeal because Gandhi was an eminent freedom fighter and social worker. Thus, the author used quotations from Gandhiji or someone else who had special meaning to the direct words and were part of the reported speech to present the Champaran Movement in a better and more effective manner. The following sentences in the text are in direct speech.
1. He said, “I will tell you how it happened that I decided to urge the departure of the British. It was in 1917.”
2. Gandhi recounted. “A peasant came up to me looking like any other peasant in India, poor and emaciated, and said, ‘I am Rajkumar Shukla. I am from Champaran, and I want you to come to my district!”
3. Gandhi said, “I have to be in Calcutta on such-and-such a date. Come and meet me and take me from there”.
4. “It was an extraordinary thing ‘in those days,” Gandhi commented, Tor a government professor to harbor man like me.’
5. He said, “I have concluded that we should stop going to law courts. Taking such cases to the courts does little good. Where the peasants are so crushed and fear-stricken, law courts are useless. The real relief for them is to be free from fear.”
6. “The commissioner,” Gandhi reports, “proceeded to bully me and advised me forthwith to leave Tirhut”.
7. ‘But how much must we pay?’ they asked Gandhi.
8. One woman took Kasturbabai into her hut and said, “Look, there is no box or cupboard here for clothes. The sari I am wearing is the only one I have”.
9. “What I did”, he explained, “was a very ordinary thing. I declared that the British could not order me about in my own country”.
10. He said, “You think that in this unequal fight it would be helpful if we have an Englishman on our side. This shows the weakness of your heart. The cause is just and you must rely upon yourselves to win the battle. You should not seek a prop in Mr ‘ Andrews because he happens to be an Englishman”.
11. “He had read our minds correctly,” Rajendra Prasad comments, “and we had no reply … Gandhi in this way taught uS a lesson in self-reliance”.
Question. 2. Notice the use or non-use of the comma in the following sentences:
(a) When I first visited Gandhi in 1942 at his ashram in Sevagram, he told me what happened in Champaran.
(b) He had not proceeded far when the police superintendent’s messenger overtook him. (c) When the court reconvened, the judge said he would not deliver the judgment forjudgmentdays.
Answer:
- The subordinate Clause is always separated with a coma(,) when the subordinate clause comes before the main clause, a comma is used to separate it from the main clause.
- On the other hand, no comma is used when the main clause comes before the subordinate clause.
Things to do
1. Choose an issue that has provoked a controversy like the Bhopal Gas Tragedy or the Narmada Dam Project in which the lives of the poor have been affected.
2. Find out the facts of the case.
3. Present your arguments.
4. Suggest a possible settlement.
Answer: Extension activity: The teacher should form groups in the class to discuss such activities.
Indigo Complete NCERT Solution Class 12 English Flamingo
Indigo’s Relevance Today in India or Value Based Questions
Q.1. How can we honour Champaran’s freedom fighters on the occasion of Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav?
Ans. India is commemorating its 75th anniversary of independence as Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav, and we are discussing Indigo’s comprehensive solution. This is an excellent opportunity to learn more about their contribution. We are saluting and paying tribute to our freedom fighters by organising various events to refresh those moments of freedom struggle in order to increase patriotism among various sections of society, particularly students in class 12. We are paying tribute to the Indian freedom fighters who gave their lives for their beloved motherland. In the prayers on Independence Day, students can draw posters and speeches, and teachers can share information about the freedom movement with their classes in schools and colleges.
Indigo Complete NCERT Solution Class 12 English Flamingo
Indigo’s Most Important Questions and Answers for CBSE/HBSE Exams Class 12 English
Designed by M.S. YADAV, Lecturer in English
After thoroughly discussing Indigo, it is time to take the exams, and weak students require some of the most important questions to pass their CBSE/HBSE exams. I’ve spent the last 25 years teaching, examining, and evaluating Class 12 English. I’ve included the most important questions to help you prepare for the exam.
Indigo Complete NCERT Solution Class 12 English Flamingo
Indigo Most Important Short Answer Type Questions
Question.1. Who was Rajkumar Shukla? Why did he come to Lucknow? Why is Rajkumar Shukla described as being ‘resolute’?
Ans. Rajkumar Shukla was a farmer from Champaran who came to meet Gandhiji to take him to Champaran to solve the problems of sharecroppers. He came to Lucknow to take Gandhiji to Champaran.
As Gandhi recounted, “a peasant came up to me looking like any other peasant in India, poor and emaciated.” Rajkumar Shukla was a determined farmer, and he didn’t lose heart until he finally got consent from Gandhiji to visit Champaran. Thus, we can say that Rajkumar Shukla was a determined sharecropper.
Question.2. Why do you think the servants thought Gandhi to be another peasant?
OR
Question.2. How was Gandhiji treated at Rajendra Prasad’s house? (HBSE 2020)
Ans. Rajkumar Shukla insisted on taking Gandhiji with him to Champaran. On their way, they stayed at the house of Rajendra Prasad, who later became the President of India. The servant knew Shukla as a poor “woman,” or farmer. Therefore, the servant considered Gandhiji as another poor farmer and allowed him to stay at home, but he didn’t allow Gandhiji to draw water from the well, thinking he might be an untouchable person. As a result, the author provides a detailed explanation of untouchability in Bihar.
Question.3. What did the peasants pay the British landlords as rent? What did the British now want instead and why? What would be the impact of synthetic indigo on the prices of natural indigo?
Ans. Most of the arable land in the Chamarran was divided into large estates owned by Englishmen and worked by Indian tenants. The chief commercial crop was indigo, and the sharecroppers needed to pay 15 percent of their holdings in indigo and surrender the entire indigo harvest as rent. As a result, the landlords exploited the sharecroppers after Germany developed synthetic indigo, and the farmers were compelled to pay 15 percent to be released from the long-term agreement. So, this dispute became the chief cause of the Champaran movement as the prices of natural indigo crashed, and therefore, the production of indigo was no more a business of profit. Raj Kumar Shukla arranges for a meeting with Gandhi. Mahatma Gandhi led the farmers’ movement and went to Muzzafarpur to learn the details of the indigo disputes.
Question.4. Why did Gandhi agree to a settlement of a 25 percent refund to the farmers?
Ans. Champaran Movement became a symbol of Indian Independence. Gandhi agreed to a settlement of a 25 percent refund to the farmers as he explained, “The real relief for them is to be free from fear.” Mahatma Gandhi helped the Indian farmers to come out of the fear of English landlords who used to exploit the sharecroppers of Champaran. Therefore, Gandhi knew the importance of courage in fighting against the exploitation of landlords.
Question.5. How did the episode change the plight of the peasants?
Ans. The Champaran episode changed the plight of the farmers as they became fearless after this movement. Gandhiji also explained this in his talk to Louis Fischer, “The real relief for them is to be free from fear.” Thus, the Champaran episode was a “turning point” in Gandhi’s life. Louis Fischer further explained that Gandhiji “had read our minds…taught us a lesson in self-reliance.” Thus, in Indigo, the author elaborates on self-sufficiency, Indian independence, and sharecropper assistance, and helps us understand how these three movements are intertwined.
Question.6. Why do you think Gandhi considered the Champaran episode to be a turning point in his life?
Answer: The Champaran episode changed the plight of the farmers as they became fearless after this movement. Gandhiji also explained this in his talk to Louis Fischer, “The real relief for them is to be free from fear.” Thus, the Champaran episode was a “turning point” in Gandhi’s life. Louis Fischer further explained that Gandhiji “had read our minds…taught us a lesson in self-reliance.” Thus, in Indigo, the author elaborates on self-sufficiency, Indian independence, and sharecropper assistance, and helps us understand how these three movements are intertwined.
Thus, the Champaran episode changed the plight of the farmers as they became fearless after this movement. Gandhiji also explained this in his talk to Louis Fischer, “The real relief for them is to be free from fear.” Thus, the Champaran episode was a “turning point” in Gandhi’s life. Louis Fischer further explained that Gandhiji “had read our minds…taught us a lesson in self-reliance.”
Question. 7. How did the development of synthetic indigo affect the English estate owners and the Indian tenants?
Ans. The English Landlords found indigo is now not a business of profit as Germany had developed synthetic inindigoTherefore’ they wanted the money back from the sharecroppers as compensation for realizing the long-term contract of 15 percent. They extorted money illegally and forcefully. Indian tenants were at a big loss in returning the contract money.
Question.8. Why did Gandhi chide the lawyers? What according to him was the real relief for the sharecroppers? (HBSE 2018)
Ans. “The real relief for them is to be free from fear.” Mahatma Gandhi helped the Indian farmers to come out of the fear of English landlords who used to exploit the sharecroppers of Champaran. So, he asked the lawyers not to fight the farmers’ case in court. Moreover, he chided the lawyers for charging huge fees to the farmers. Thus, he believed that ‘liberation from fear of the British’ was more important than making the farmers self-reliant.
Question. 9. What issues did Gandhi undertake in Champaran? (HBSE 2018).
OR
“The Champaran episode was a turning point in Gandhi’s life”? How do you justify that?
Ans. Self-reliance, Indian independence, and help to sharecroppers were all bound together. The health conditions and the filthy state of women’s clothes compelled Gandhiji to do something to improve the miserable conditions of people in Champaran. He saw the cultural and social backwardness in the Champaran villages and wanted to do something about it immediately. The Champaran episode was a turning point in Gandhi’s life.
Question. 10. Why was Shukla considered a yeoman? (HBSE 2018)
Ans. Shukla was a sharecropper of Champaran who was a poor man like all other farmers. He went to Rajendra Prasad’s house with Gandhiji, and the servant considered him a yeoman. Thus, like all other farmers, he was a poor farmer.
Question.11. How did Gandhi express his inability to accompany Rajkumar Shukla? (HBSE 2019)
Ans. Gandhi recounted, “a peasant came up to me looking like any other peasant in India, poor and emaciated, and said, ‘I am Rajkumar Shukla. I am from Champaran, and I want you to come to my district’!’’ Gandhiji was very busy in those days. So, he told Shukla about his inability to accompany Rajkumar Shukla. Gandhiji further explained Shukla was illiterate but resolute. He had come to the Congress session to complain about the injustice of the landlord system in Bihar.
Question.12. Why did Gandhiji go to Lucknow in December 1916? Who met him there and why? (HBSE2019)
Ans. The background of the chapter, Indigo, was set in 1916 at the annual convention of the Indian National Congress party in Lucknow. Gandhi recounted, “a peasant came up to me looking like any other peasant in India, poor and emaciated, and said, ‘I am Rajkumar Shukla. I am from Champaran, and I want you to come to my district’!’’ Shukla was illiterate but resolute. He had come to the Congress session to complain about the injustice of the landlord system in Bihar.
Indigo Complete NCERT Solution Class 12 English Flamingo
Indigo Sure Shot Long Answers Questions(150-200 words) Class 12 English
Long-answer questions are as important as short-answer questions, but in general, long-answer questions become a headache for poor students. Therefore, here I am providing the sure-shot questions for the CBSE/HBSE examinations of Class 12 English.
Q1. What solution to the problems of the poor did Gandhi suggest? How far did the Champaran movement help in this direction?
OR
“The real relief for them is to be free from fear”, remarked Gandhi. What do you think, was “the beginning of their liberation from the fear of the British”?
Answer: “The real relief for them is that they are no longer afraid.” Mahatma Gandhi assisted Indian farmers in overcoming their fear of English landlords who used to exploit Champaran sharecroppers. As a result, he instructed the lawyers not to fight the farmers’ case in court. Furthermore, he chastised the lawyers for charging the farmers exorbitant fees. As a result, he believed that “liberation from fear of the British” was more important in empowering farmers.
Moreover, Gandhiji knew that self-reliance, Indian independence, and help to sharecroppers were all bound together. The health conditions and the filthy state of women’s clothes compelled Gandhiji to do something to improve the miserable conditions of people in Champaran. He saw the cultural and social backwardness in the Champaran villages and wanted to do something about it immediately.
Thus, the Champaran episode changed the plight of the farmers as they became fearless after this movement. Gandhiji also explained this in his talk to Louis Fischer, “The real relief for them is to be free from fear.” Thus, the Champaran episode was a “turning point” in Gandhi’s life. Louis Fischer further explained that Gandhiji “had read our minds…taught us a lesson in self-reliance.” Thus, in Indigo, the author elaborates on self-sufficiency, Indian independence, and sharecropper assistance, and helps us understand how these three movements are intertwined.
Q2. Justify the appropriateness of the title ‘Indigo’ to this extract.
Answer: The title of Indigo plays a very important role in the development of the freedom movement in Champaran. The whole story revolves around the title of Indigo. Gandhi used efficiently used Indigoremove the fear from the minds of the farmers of Champaran.
Indigo’s title in English Class 12 Flamingo will be a gateway to understanding the major constituents of the Champaran Movement, which became a symbol of Indian Independence. “The real relief for them is to be free from fear.” Mahatma Gandhi helped the Indian farmers to come out of the fear of English landlords who used to exploit the sharecroppers of Champaran. The Indigo title for English 12 Flamingo will furnish the major points of Indigo to the students. Most of the arable land in the Chamarran was divided into large estates owned by Englishmen and worked by Indian tenants. The chief commercial crop was indigo. Following that, the movement assisted peasants in becoming courageous and alert to their fundamental rights. Furthermore, Gandhiji worked not only on political and economic issues but also on social ones. He worked to improve their education, health, and hygiene and instilled confidence in them.
Thus, we can say that the title of the chapter, Indigo, is appropriate and suitable for understanding the background of the Indian Freedom movement. ” The arrival of Gandhi Ji in Chamaparan marks the beginning of the National Freedom movement in Champaran.”
Q3. Why is the Champaran episode considered to be the beginning of the Indian struggle for Independence? [All India 2014]
Answer: ” The arrival of Gandhi Ji in Chamaparan marks the beginning of the National Freedom movement in Champaran”. “The real relief for them is that they are no longer afraid.” Mahatma Gandhi assisted Indian farmers in overcoming their fear of English landlords who used to exploit Champaran sharecroppers. As a result, he instructed the lawyers not to fight the farmers’ case in court. Furthermore, he chastised the lawyers for charging the farmers exorbitant fees. As a result, he believed that “liberation from fear of the British” was more important in empowering farmers.
Thus, the Champaran episode changed the plight of the farmers as they became fearless after this movement. Gandhiji also explained this in his talk to Louis Fischer, “The real relief for them is to be free from fear.” Thus, the Champaran episode was a “turning point” in Gandhi’s life. Louis Fischer further explained that Gandhiji “had read our minds…taught us a lesson in self-reliance.” Thus, in Indigo, the author elaborates on self-sufficiency, Indian independence, and sharecropper assistance, and helps us understand how these three movements are intertwined.
Thus, the Champaran episode changed the plight of the farmers as they became fearless after this movement. Gandhiji also explained this in his talk to Louis Fischer, “The real relief for them is to be free from fear.” Thus, the Champaran episode was a “turning point” in Gandhi’s life. Louis Fischer further explained that Gandhiji “had read our minds…taught us a lesson in self-reliance.”
Indigo Complete NCERT Solution Class 12 English Flamingo
Indigo CBSE/HBSE Exams Notes Class 12 English
Indigo Extra- Short Questions Class 12 English
The author, M.S. Yadav, a lecturer in English, has created the Indigo extra-short questions to help the students and teachers understand the text of Indigo. These Indigo extra-short questions will also help students answer MCQs, which I will discuss in a separate article for some technical reasons.
Indigo Complete NCERT Solution Class 12 English Flamingo
Readlearnexcel message on Indigo for students.
The Indigo Complete NCERT Solution Class 12 English Flamingo is the only way for students and teachers to succeed. Money cannot bring confidence among poor people, as it was true in Champaran, where Gandhiji tried to mould a new free Indian who could stand on his own feet and thus make India free. The Indigo clearly depicts the freedom movement picture in our mind and we are celebrating Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav. Therefore, this article is a real tribute to the freedom fighters of Champaran and Muzzafarpur, especially Gandhiji, who helped the poor people come out of fear of British landlords. Thus, the writer, Louis Fischer, depicts the true picture of Indian freedom movements by using the title, Indigo, to acquaint the reader with the glimpse of freedom movements.
Complete NCERT Solution Class 12 English Flamingo
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- Indigo Summary in English Class 12 Flamingo
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