Indigo Revolt 1859-1860 -- Civil Service IAS IES IFS UPSC exams

INDIGO REVOLT 1859-1860

Indigo planting in Bengal dated back to 1777. Louis Bonard was the first Indigo Planter in India. With the expansion of British power, the indigo planting became more and more commercially profitable because of large demand of blue dye in the europe. The indigo planters left no stone unturned in making profits. The mercilessly pursued farmers to grow indigo instead of food crop. They provided loans called dadon at very high interest rate. Once farmer took such a loan he remained indebted forever and passed it on to his successors. The price payed by the planters for this cash crop was rediculously low, just 2.5% of the market price. The farmers were forced to sell at this price lest the planters would destroy their mortgage property. Govt rules also favoured the planters.

By the Act of 1833, the planters were granted free hand in opression. Even the zamindars, money lenders and other influential person favoured the indigo planters. Out of severe opression the farmers revolted. The farmers were in no possession of arms so it was purely a non-violent revolt.

The revolt started from Nadia where Bishnucharan Biswas & Digambar Biswas first took up arms against the planters. It spread like wildfire in Murshidabad, Birbhum, Burdwan, Pabna, Khulna, Narail etc and the indigo planters were put into public trial and executed. The indigo depots were burnt down. Many planters fled to avoid being caught. The zamindars also became the target.

The revolt was mercilessly suppressed and a large number of peasent were put to death by the police and military. Only some zamindars supported the peasants of whom Ramratan Mullick of Narail is the most known.

Effect of Revolt – The revolt had a strong effect on the govt who immediately appointed "The Indigo Commission" in 1860. In the report E.W.L. Tower noted that "not a chest of indigo reached England without being stained with human blood". It was surely a major victory for peasant to incite such emotions in europeans' minds.

Cultural Effects – Dinabandhu Mitra's 1859 play Nil Darpan is based on this revolt. It was translated into English by Michael Madhusudan Dutta and published by Rev. James Long. It attracted much attention in England, where people were stunned at the savagery of their countrymen. The British Govt sent Rev Long to a mock trial and he was imprisoned and fined. Kaliprasanna Sinha payed the fine for him.

The play is the first play to be staged commercially at the National Theatre in Kolkata.

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