Published October 4, 2026
Champaran Satyagraha
Gandhi’s 1917 Champaran campaign for indigo farmers — an early full use of Satyagraha in India.
Champaran (Bihar, 1917) was among Gandhi’s first major applications of Satyagraha in India. Indigo cultivators were locked into oppressive plantation arrangements. Gandhi investigated, refused to leave when ordered, accepted the risk of arrest, and used public inquiry and non-cooperation rather than violence.
Results included official inquiry and relief measures for the farmers. The campaign showed the pattern later repeated elsewhere: fact-finding, moral pressure, non-violence, and readiness to suffer the penalty of defiance.
History: Satyagraha in history · Salt March: Salt March · Homepage: main guide.