Why did Gandhiji go to Champaran?

Mahatma Gandhi visited Champaran in 1917 primarily to investigate the grievances of indigo cultivators who were being oppressed by European planters [1]. Under the 'tinkathia' system, peasants were legally compelled to grow indigo on 3/20th of their land and sell it at fixed, exploitative prices [2]. Following persistent requests from Rajkumar Shukla, a local peasant, Gandhi arrived in the district to conduct a detailed enquiry into these agrarian problems [3]. Although his intervention eventually led to the first experiment of Satyagraha in India, his immediate purpose was to study the situation and understand the plight of the farmers [1]. His refusal to leave the district and his subsequent participation in an official enquiry committee resulted in the Champaran Agrarian Act, which provided relief to the cultivators from the bondage of the planters [2].

Sources

1. [1] Modern India ,Bipin Chandra, History class XII (NCERT 1982 ed.)[Old NCERT] > Chapter 15: Struggle for Swaraj > Champaran Satvagraha (1917) > p. 266
2. [2] History , class XII (Tamilnadu state board 2024 ed.) > Chapter 4: Advent of Gandhi and Mass Mobilisation > Gandhi in Champaran > p. 43
3. [3] Rajiv Ahir. A Brief History of Modern India (2019 ed.). SPECTRUM. > Chapter 15: Emergence of Gandhi > Champaran Satyagraha (1917)—First Civil Disobedience > p. 316