The story of Champaran began in the early 19th century when European planters had involved the cultivators in agreements that forced them to cultivate indigo on 3/20th of their land (Tinkathia System). Towards the end of 19th century, German synthetic dyes forced indigo out of the market and the European planters of Champaran, to remove the obligation of cultivating indigo on the cultivators tried to secure enhancements in rents and other illegal dues as a price for the release. Resistance had surfaced in 1908, but momentum came when Rajkumar Shukla ( a local man) decided to follow Gandhiji and persuaded him to come to Champaran and investigate the problem. ....Read more