HISTORY

ABOUT CHAMPARAN

Champaran is a corrupt form of the word Champaranya. It is mentioned in the Puranas. In its jungles were the places of penance of Rishis. It is said that Tappa Duho Suho is named after Durani and Surani, the two wives of Raja Uttanapada. Dhruva was the son of this Raja and he was born in this tapovana and did his penance here. The ashrama of Valmiki Muni was also situate within this district. Janaki after her exile took shelter in this ashrama of *Valmiki and her two sons Lava and Kusha were born there. The battle between Rama chandra and his two sons Lava and Kusha took place somewhere within this district.

The story is current that the capital of Birat Raja, where the Pandavas lived during their exile was also in this district, and a place called Barahi is still pointed out as that capital. It is at a short distance from Ramnagar and is believed by the local people that the kingdom of Raja Bideha was also here and he used to live at a place called Jankigarh which is also known as Chankigarh.

Numerous memorials of the Buddhistic period are found in Champaran. Buddha is said to have travelled through this district in his journey from Plasi to Kusinar. His ashes are said to be lying in some stupa at Lauria Nandangarh or near about it.

Many pillars erected by Ashoka are still seen in several parts of the district. Most of the places where such pillars stand are known as Lauriya, that is, the place of the pillar. It appears from this that at one time the Buddhists had great influence there. Raja Ashoka started on his pilgrimage from Pataliputra (Patna) and went to Ramapurwa passing Kesaria, Lauriya, Areraj and Lauriya Nandangarh, and he set up pillars in all these places. In those days Nepal also formed a part of 'the kingdom of Magadha, and this used to be the route for officials going from Patna to Nepal via Bhikhna Thorce. The Chinese travellers travelled by this route. Both Fa Hian and Huen Tsang have mentioned these places.

In 1765 Champaran was granted to the English by Shah Alam along with Bengal and Bihar

PLIGHT OF CHAMPARAN

Asamiwar was the system where the factory got indigo grown by the tenants. This used to be done in several ways, but the most prevalent method was known as Tinkathia. Tinkathia was the most prevalent system in Champaran. According to it the factory owners got the tenant to cultivate indigo in a portion of his holding for which a fixed price was paid. About 1860 the portion so reserved for indigo used to be 5 kathas per bigha or one fourth of the tenant's holding. Sometime later, about 1867, this area was reduced from 5 kathas to 3 kathas per bigha. Since then the system came to be known as tinkathia (or the system of three kathas).

When the factories were being established for the first time, their owners had no permanent interest in land. They used to take short term leases from the Bettiah Raj and to grow indigo on lands in their possession under the Zerait system. But that was in small quantities. They would place temptation in the way of the Bettiah Raj by offering to take a lease on a reserved rent equal to the gross rental realizable from tenants, and when they got the lease, they would get indigo cultivated by the tenants for their own benefit. They used to make much, profit from indigo. The only losers were the tenants. It is thus apparent that whenever a factory got possession of a village, its first attempt would be to bring as much land as possible under indigo cultivation ; and for this they used to cheat, cajole and coerce the simple tenants into agreeing to grow indigo on their lands. After sometime these agreements used to be reduced to writing as sattas. One of the conditions in such agreements or sattas used to be that the tenant would grow indigo on 3 kathas per bigha of his holding for a number of years sometimes for 20, 25, or even 30 years. The particular plot of his holding which would be reserved for indigo would be selected by the factory. The land would be ploughed and otherwise made fit for cultivation by the tenant under the supervision of the factory. If the crop was good a fixed price per bigha would be paid to the tenant. But if the crop was not bumper, then whatever the reason for it may be, the tenant would get only a reduced price. If the tenant failed to grow indigo, he was liable to pay a heavy sum by way of damages for his breach.

The cultivation of indigo was more extensive in Champaran than in any other district of Bihar. During the survey of 1892-97 indigo used to be grown on 95,970 acres, that is, on 6.63 per cent of the land under cultivation.

UNREST OF CHAMPARAN

The first indigo disturbance in Champaran of which any record is available was in 1867. It began in Lalsaraiya factory. Later on in 1887 there was a great famine in Bihar and the people in Champaran suffered very much. The planters at that time raised the price of indigo further from Rs. 10/5 to Rs. 12/- per acre. But even this did not satisfy the tenants and their discontents found expression from time to time. In 1906 the tenants of Telhara factory murdered its manager, Mr. Bloomfield. Many of them were prosecuted and the Sessions Judge sentenced three of them to death, but on appeal the sentences of death were set aside and they were given six years' imprisonment.

GANDHI JI AND CHAMPARAN

The thirty-first session of the Indian National Congress met at Lucknow in December, 1916. About 2,300 delegates from various parts of India attended it. After the split at Surat, Lokamanya Tilak for the first time attended the Congress with his followers. The Deccan and Sindh camps were full. The number of delegates from Gujarat, Madras and the Central Provinces was also considerable. For U. P. people to attend in large numbers was no matter of surprise, as the Congress was held in their Province. Mrs. Annie Besant with her followers came from Madras. Bengal had also sent a large number of delegates with the President. Even Bihar was awake and sent a large contingent of delegates. The reason for this was that it was proposed to place some important resolutions before the Congress on behalf of Bihar. Mahatma Gandhi accompanied by his son had also come from Gujarat and had taken his residence in a camp near the pandal. It was proposed to place two resolutions on behalf of Bihar. One regarding the Patna University Bill, and the other regarding the relations between the planters and their tenants of Champaran. The tenants of Champaran had sent Pandit Rajkumar Shukla as their representative to the Congress and he, in supporting the resolution, related the miserable plight of the Champaran tenantry. It was here that the desire of Bihar and particularly Champaran delegates came up that Mahatma Gandhi should visit Champaran and see with his own eyes the pitiable condition of its people and devise means for improving it. On the 3rd April, 1917 Mahatma Gandhi wired to Rajkumar Shukla that he was going to Calcutta where he would stay with Mr. Bhupendranath Basu and asked Rajkumar Shukla to meet him there.

On receipt of this telegram Rajkumar Shukla went to Calcutta and met the Mahatma there. Mahatma Gandhi started on the 9th April, 1917, with Shuklaji and arrived at Patna on the 10th April, 1917. When news of his arrival reached Mr. Mazharul Haque came and took the Mahatma to his house. The Hon'ble Babu Krishna Sahay also came and saw the Mahatma there. The latter had decided to proceed to Muzaffarpur the same evening and sent telegraphic information to Mr. J. B. Kripalani who was at the time, a Professor in the G. B. B. College, Muzaffarpur. Mahatmaji started in the evening with Shuklaji for Muzaffarpur. The train reached Muzaffarpur at 10 o'clock at night. Professor Kripalani had received the telegram and was present at the station with some of his students to receive Mahatmaji. Although there had been correspondence between Mahatma Gandhi and Professor Kripalani they had never met before. No one could recognize him, but when Pandit Rajkumar Shukla saw the crowd of people he understood that they must have come to receive the Mahatma and he called them and showed the great man to them. People gave a reception at the station, took his arti, and dragged his carriage. Mahatmaji stopped with Professor Kripalani in his hostel.

On the 13th April, 1917, Mahatmaji saw the Commissioner Mr. L.F. Morshead. Mr. D. Weston, the Collector of Muzaffarpur, was also present there. The Commissioner expressed his disapproval of Mahatmaji's visit to Bihar and inquired who had brought him there. He also told him that inquiry was being made on behalf of the Government ; that Mahatmaji's visit was unnecessary ; that he would not give any assistance to him in his inquiry and finally advised him to go away at once.

On the 15th April, 1917, Mahatmaji accompanied by Babu Dharanidhar and Ramnavmi Prasad left for Motihari. He was from his very start expecting a warrant of arrest. With the exception of a few necessary articles he had put the rest of his luggage separately in a trunk.

This happened and on his way Mahatmaji was taken from the ekka to the tam-tam. The police officer who had come in the tamtam was the Deputy Superintendent of Police. When they had gone a little further, he stopped the tamtam, showed a notice to Mahatmaji, who quietly read it and after reaching Motihari, gave him a receipt for it. Mahatmaji prepared a number of directions for the guidance of those who were to carry on the work after him. Babus Dharanidhar and Ramnavmi Prasad on the other hand reached Jasaulipatti at about 3pm and after recording the statements of some men returned to Motihari and learned about the notice under section 144 Criminal Procedure Code. Mahatmaji gave them a copy of the directions he had prepared and explained to them in detail how the work would have to be conducted after his imprisonment. He also told them that if they followed him to jail, then his mission would be successful in no time. The next day (Tuesday 17-4-17) had already been fixed for recording the statements of tenants. Accordingly many tenants came to Motihari and their statements began to be recorded. The Police Sub-Inspector also arrived on the scene and began to note down the names of the tenants who gave statements at first stealthily and after a time openly. Such large numbers of tenants had come that gentlemen who were recording the statements had not even a moment's rest throughout the day.

Mahatmaji of course knew that he would have to go to jail for disobeying the order. He consequently did not allow the work in any way to suffer, nor was any mention made to the tenants of what had happened. On the same day it was decided that village Parsauni about 16 miles to the south of Motihari would be visited on the following day and information was sent accordingly. Conveyance was also arranged.

When no summons was received upto the evening about any charge of disobedience of orders, Mahatmaji wrote a letter to the District Magistrate in which he intimated to him his intention of visiting village Parsauni on the next day. He also told the Magistrate that he did not intend doing anything secretly. It would therefore be better, if a police officer accompanied him.

Immediately on receipt of the letter the Magistrate wrote to him that he would be charged with an offense under section 188 I. P. C., that a summons would be issued against him and that the Magistrate hoped that he (Mahatmaji) would not leave Motihari. Shortly after this letter was received, the summons also came calling upon Mahatmaji to appear before the Sub-divisional Officer on the 18th April, 1917, at 12-30 p.m. After this Mahatmaji further discussed the situation with his co-workers.

The 18th of April, 1917, is a memorable day in the history not only of Champaran, but of the whole of India. It was on this day that Mahatma Gandhi was preparing himself to go to jail for the sake of the poor and suffering people of the province of Bihar. On this day the whole of India was to get her first lesson and her first modern example of Satyagraha which was to open new flood gates of light and of vision before her. It is an old saying that no harm can come to the true, but a practical demonstration of this was to be given to the world on this day by Mahatma Gandhi. Ready and determined to remove the grievances of the tenants, and equally determined to do no injury to those who had been oppressing them, it was, as it were, the great soul of Mahatma Gandhi was born in human shape to reconcile these apparently irreconcilable elements.

SATYAGRAGHA IN ACTION

On the way Babu Dharanidhar told Mahatmaji that he and Babu Ramnavmi had decided to follow him to jail, even though others might not. Mahatmaji felt very much pleased and said with joy " Now I know we shall succeed."

Although no information had been given to the tenants about the proceedings under section 144 and subsequent prosecution, yet the news had somehow reached not only every corner of the town but even distant villages and several thousand tenants had assembled in the Court compound and were waiting for Mahatmaji from 10 o'clock. Their own desire was to have a look at the man who was going to jail in order to relieve their distress. When Mahatmaji entered the Court room, he was followed by about 2,000 men who, in their anxiety to get in, broke the glass-panes of the doors. The Magistrate seeing the great crowd asked Mahatmaji to wait for a little while in the Mokhtiars' library. Mahatmaji went to the library while the Magistrate sent for armed police to prevent the people from entering the Court-room and to prevent any disturbance in his work.

Mahatmaji was surrounded in the library by a large crowd of people, the eyes of all of whom were fixed on him, while tears were streaming down the cheeks of many of them. Shortly afterwards Mahatmaji was sent for and went to the Magistrate's Court-room.

Mahatmaji arrived, the Magistrate asked him, " Have you got any pleader ? " and the short reply was " No, none." After this he read out a statement of the events that had unfolded and all this time the Government pleader had been expecting that Mahatmaji would offer defence. The Magistrate could not make up his mind what to do next. He repeatedly asked Mahatmaji, if he pleaded guilty. Mahatmaji's reply was " I have said whatever I have to say in my statement." The Magistrate said that that did not contain a clear plea of guilty. Mahatmaji thereupon, said, " I do not wish to waste the time of the Court and I plead guilty.

This put out the Magistrate still further. He told Mahatmaji, " If you leave the District now and promise not to return, the case against you would be withdrawn." Mahatmaji replied, " That cannot be. Not to speak of this time alone, I shall make Champaran my home even after my return from jail"

The Magistrate was dumb-founded and could only say that the matter required consideration and that he would pass orders later at 3 o'clock. The whole of this memorable trial was over in about half an hour's time and Mahatmaji was about to return to his lodgings when the Deputy Superintendent of Police came and told him that the Superintendent of Police wanted to see him. Mahatmaji accompanied him to the Superintendent.

This latter gentleman had at one time been in South Africa and talked freely to Mahatmaji, claiming an old acquaintance. He spoke a great deal against Rajkumar Shukla and promised to bring about a meeting between Mahatmaji and planters. Thereafter Mahatmaji saw the District Magistrate Mr. W. B. Heycock, who ex- pressed regret at the necessity he felt himself under to take proceedings against him and said that Mahatmaji ought to have seen him earlier. Mahatmaji replied that after the treatment he had received from the Commissioner it was neither possible nor proper for him to see the Magistrate to court a rebuff. The Magistrate requested Mahatmaji to postpone his visits to villages for three days to which Mahatmaji consented.

Mahatmaji appeared before the Magistrate shortly before 3 o'clock. The Magistrate told him that he would pass orders on 21st April, 1917, but that he would release him in the meantime on a bail of Rs. 100. Mahatmaji said that he had no bailor and could not offer bail. The Magistrate was again in difficulty and found a way out by offering to release him on his personal recognizance. Mahatmaji returned to his lodgings at about three o'clock. From there he sent information about what had happened to friends and newspapers, at the same time requesting them not to create any agitation in the Press until the Government orders were known.

It was now decided that if Mahatmaji went to jail,Mr. Haque and Babu Brajakishore Prasad would take the lead and intimation of this would be sent to the Government officers. If they were removed, then Babu Dl^arnidhar and Babu Ramnavmi would take charge of the work. If they too were picked up, the writer, Babu Shambhusharan, and Babu Anugrahanarayan, would continue the work. It was hoped that by the time these batches were removed, other people would have joined the party and further programme would be fixed later on. In accordance with this decision Mr. Haque and Batyu Brajakishore were permitted to go to Patna and Darbhanga respectively to settle their affairs at home, so that they might return by the 21st April which was the date fixed by the Magistrate for passing orders.

On the 20th April, 1917, Mr. Andrews saw the Collector, Mr. Heycock. There he learnt that the case against Mahatmaji would be withdrawn and the Government officers would help him in the enquiry and At about 7 p.m. notice was received that the case had been withdrawn.

When the news of the proceedings under section 144 Cr. P. C. and the prosecution of Mahatma Gandhi and its withdrawal was published almost all the papers of India severely criticized the action of the Commissioner and praised the Government for ordering withdrawal of the case and directing its local officers to help Mahatmaji.

It has been said above that Mahatma Gandhi went to Bettiah by the afternoon train of the 22nd April. The news of the withdrawal of the case, as also that Mahatmaji was going to Bettiah by that train had already spread. There were crowds of people awaiting at every railway station to have a look ( darshan ) at him ; and the arrival of the train was signalized by shouts of Jai and showering of flowers. The train reached Bettiah at about 5 p.m. There as such a huge crowd at the station that to avoid any accident the train had to be stopped some way off from the platform. The Mahatma was traveling in a 3rd class compartment. The people of the town and villages welcomed him. They rent the skies with their cries of Jai and there was a regular hail-storm of flowers

With the case being withdrawn now started the real task of movements and meetings and recordings which continued for a long time. Mahatama traveled to most of the villages and met factory owners and people working there. Everything that he was doing he made it a point to inform the people as well as the government officials of his movements,

Meanwhile the officials were secretly planning a termination of Mahatma Gandhi's investigation and appointing a committee instead. Thus a telegram was received by Mahatmaji from the Chief Secretary to the Government from Ranchi on 6th May, 1917, informing him that the Hon'ble Mr. W Maude would be going to Patna on the 10th May and requesting Mahatmaji to meet him there. Here Maude was corrupted by the planters and requested the withdrawal of the assistants of Mahatma as they did not have good record

Further on Gandhi persuaded him to consider his demands and Maude agreed if a report is submitted to him of the work that has been done.

Later, a formal committee was constituted, of which Gandhi was a part. After months of recording testimonies, the committee submitted its report. Almost a year after Gandhi’s arrival, the report was accepted and the tinkathia system was abolished.