Indigo Question Answer Class 12 Chapter 5 | Indigo Summary, Word Meanings & Solutions

1. Rajkumar Shukla was:

• (i) a sharecropper — Correct
• (ii) a politician — Incorrect
• (iii) delegate — Correct
• (iv) a landlord — Incorrect

Answer: Rajkumar Shukla was poor and illiterate but very determined.

2. Why is Rajkumar Shukla described as being 'resolute'?
Answer: Rajkumar Shukla was described as resolute because he was extremely determined to take Gandhi to Champaran. He followed Gandhi from place to place and repeatedly requested him to fix a date for visiting Champaran. His determination finally convinced Gandhi to accompany him.

3. Why did the servants think Gandhi was another peasant?
Answer: The servants thought Gandhi was another peasant because he was dressed simply and had accompanied the poor sharecropper Rajkumar Shukla. They did not know Gandhi's identity and therefore treated him like an ordinary peasant.

1. List the places Gandhi visited between his first meeting with Shukla and his arrival at Champaran.

Answer: Gandhi visited:

1. Cawnpore (Kanpur)
2. Ahmedabad
3. Calcutta
4. Patna
5. Muzzafarpur
6. Champaran

Shukla accompanied Gandhi during several stages of this journey.

2. What did the peasants pay the British landlords as rent? What did the British now want instead and why?
Answer: The peasants were forced to grow indigo on 15% of their holdings and surrender the entire indigo harvest as rent. Later, when synthetic indigo was developed in Germany, the landlords wanted the peasants to pay compensation for being released from the 15% indigo arrangement.

3. What would be the impact of synthetic indigo on the prices of natural indigo?
Answer: The production of synthetic indigo would reduce the demand for natural indigo. Therefore, the price and value of natural indigo would fall.

1. What did the spontaneous demonstration by the peasants prove?
Answer: The huge demonstration of peasants outside the courthouse showed that the people had begun to overcome their fear of British authority. It was an important step towards their liberation.

2. Why did Gandhi agree to a settlement of 25 per cent refund to the farmers?
Answer: Gandhi considered the amount of refund less important than the fact that the landlords were forced to surrender part of their money and, more importantly, their prestige and authority. The settlement also gave the peasants confidence that they had rights and defenders.

3. How did the episode change the plight of the peasants?
Answer: The Champaran episode gave the peasants courage, confidence and awareness of their rights. The British planters eventually abandoned their estates and indigo sharecropping disappeared. Gandhi also worked to improve education, sanitation and health in the villages.

1. Why did Gandhi consider the Champaran episode a turning-point in his life?
Answer: Gandhi considered Champaran a turning-point because it was an important demonstration of his method of civil disobedience, non-violence and self-reliance. He successfully challenged British authority and helped poor peasants overcome fear. The episode also showed how political action could be connected with the practical problems of ordinary people.

2. How was Gandhi able to influence lawyers? Give instances.
Answer: Gandhi influenced the lawyers through his courage, simplicity and commitment to the peasants. He criticised them for charging high fees from poor sharecroppers and convinced them that merely fighting cases in courts would not solve the peasants' basic problem of fear. When Gandhi faced imprisonment, the lawyers initially planned to return home. Gandhi questioned them about the injustice faced by the peasants. They later decided to stay and follow Gandhi into jail if necessary.

3. What was the attitude of the average Indian in smaller localities towards advocates of 'home rule'?
Answer: The average Indians in smaller localities were afraid to show sympathy or support for advocates of home rule because they feared the British authorities.

4. How do we know that ordinary people too contributed to the freedom movement?
Answer: Ordinary people contributed by supporting Gandhi's movement. Thousands of peasants gathered outside the courthouse, shared their experiences, provided evidence against the landlords and supported Gandhi's civil disobedience. About ten thousand peasants gave depositions during the investigation.

1. "Freedom from fear is more important than legal justice for the poor."
Answer: Gandhi believed that legal justice alone could not help people who were constantly living in fear. The Champaran peasants were so frightened of the landlords and British authorities that even courts could not provide them real relief. Once they became fearless, they could understand and exercise their rights.

2. What are the qualities of a good leader?

Answer: A good leader should have:

• Courage
• Honesty
• Self-confidence
• Determination
• Empathy
• Patience
• Ability to communicate
• Ability to inspire others
• Commitment to justice
• Respect for self-reliance

Gandhi displayed these qualities throughout the Champaran movement.

1. Why does the author use quotations in his narration?
Answer: The author uses direct quotations to make the narration more authentic, lively and effective. The actual words of Gandhi and other people help readers understand their thoughts, feelings and arguments more clearly. The textbook specifically highlights the use of direct speech as an important feature of the narration.

2. Use of commas.
Answer: The chapter demonstrates that a comma is generally used when a subordinate clause comes before the main clause, while it may be omitted when the subordinate clause follows the main clause.