Question
Discuss the importance of Indigo Revolt.
Answer
Results or Importance :
- Firstly, Formation of the Indigo Commission- Going by the results, the Indigo Revolt was a Successful Farmers’ rebellion. Having felt the intensity of the revolt, J. P. Grant, the Deputy Viceroy of Bengal, constituted the Indigo Commission on 31st December 1860. This reported five-member commission principle, the cultivation of indigo was harmful and erroneous. At the recommendations of the Indigo Commission, the price of indigo increased.
- Secondly, ‘Teen kathiya’, or the system of cultivating indigo in three kottas of land for every bigha, was introduced. There should be no coercion. Luckily, by 1891, Germany started producing synthetic indigo and as a result the importance of indigo cultivation in India was greatly reduced. The business of natural indigo came to an end.
- Thirdly, The importance of this revolt was accepted in an article in Calcutta Review which stated that ‘this was indeed a revolt’-the whole country participated in it. The Indigo Revolt which started two years after the Sepoy Mutiny continued for two long years. Considering its outcome and importance, the Indigo Revolt is very significant.
- Fourthly, The main objective of the Indigo Revolt was not political, but economic. The poor farmers united with strong determination and started the revolt against economic oppression and wilfulness. Almost 60 lakh farmers of Bengal, without any military training, leaped in to the revolt. Prof Chittabroto Palit feels that in this revolt the peasants, as such, had no role to play. The landlords participated actively and spontaneously in order to safeguard their own interests.
