Centenary of Champaran Satyagraha

The Arrival of Mahatma Gandhi in Champaran

On the afternoon of April 15, 1917, thousands gathered at Motihari railway station in Bihar’s East Champaran to welcome Mahatma Gandhi, a man destined to transform their lives. Arriving from Muzaffarpur at 3 PM, Gandhiji proceeded to Bhithiharwa Ashram, where he came to conduct the famous “Indigo Labour Enquiry” and later launched his first Satyagraha against the forced cultivation of indigo by impoverished farmers.

It was in Champaran that Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi began his transformation into Mahatma Gandhi, marking the beginning of his journey as the moral and political leader of India’s freedom movement.

The Seeds of the Movement

After returning from South Africa in 1915, Gandhiji established the Sabarmati Ashram in Gujarat and, following his mentor Gopal Krishna Gokhale’s advice, embarked on a journey across India to understand its people and their struggles.
During the Congress Session in Lucknow (1916), he met Raj Kumar Shukla, a farmer from Champaran, who urged him to visit the region and witness firsthand the exploitation of the indigo farmers or ryots.

The Plight of Indigo Farmers

Under the Tinkathia system, the farmers were forced to cultivate indigo on a portion of their land and sell it at low prices to British landlords. Refusal to comply invited brutal punishments and heavy taxes enforced by their agents, the gumastas.
This system caused widespread misery, food shortages, and poverty, creating near-famine conditions in Champaran. When word of Gandhi’s arrival spread, the peasants welcomed him with great hope and reverence.

Gandhi’s Defiance and Arrest

The following day, Gandhiji set out for Jasaulpatti village to investigate reports of a tenant who had been assaulted by landlords. En route, he was served a notice by British District Magistrate W.B. Heycock ordering him to leave Champaran.
Gandhi refused, stating,

“I came here to render humanitarian services to the people of this region. I shall make Champaran my home and not leave till I have helped these suffering people.”

He was arrested and brought before the court on April 18, 1917. Fearing unrest due to growing public support for Gandhi, the British withdrew the case and permitted him to stay and conduct his inquiry.

The Champaran Enquiry and Reforms

During his stay at Hazarimal Dharmashala in Bettiah, Gandhi and his team documented the testimonies of over 8,000 indigo cultivators, revealing the extent of the exploitation. Realising that illiteracy and ignorance had deepened the farmers’ suffering, he initiated constructive programmes to uplift them.

Gandhiji established three schools in 1917—at Motihari, Bhithiharwa, and Madhuban—and introduced Buniyadi (basic) schools that combined education with vocational training in spinning, carpentry, weaving, and farming.

A Landmark Victory

Recognising his influence and sincerity, the British government appointed Gandhi as a member of the official enquiry committee on the indigo system. The committee’s report led to the passing of the Champaran Agrarian Bill on November 29, 1918, and with the Governor General’s assent on March 4, 1919, the oppressive Tinkathia system was finally abolished.

Legacy of the Champaran Satyagraha

The Champaran Satyagraha of 1917 was not just a peasant movement—it was the first experiment in Satyagraha in India and a turning point in the national freedom struggle. It bridged the divide between the peasants and the educated middle class, uniting different social groups under a common cause of justice and non-violence.

Champaran marked the beginning of India’s mass-based struggle for independence, and the emergence of Gandhi as the Mahatma—the moral compass of the nation.

Commemorative Postage Stamp

To honour 100 years of the Champaran Satyagraha, the Department of Posts is proud to issue a set of Commemorative Postage Stamps celebrating the centenary of this historic movement — a tribute to Gandhiji’s courage, compassion, and enduring message of truth and non-violence.