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Difficulty: MediumRevolt of 1857, Peasant Struggles, and Tribal Uprisings

With reference to the Indigo Revolt (1859–1860) in colonial Bengal, consider the following statements:

1. The revolt was initiated under the leadership of Digambar Biswas and Bishnu Charan Biswas in the Nadia district.
2. The indigo ryots organized non-cultivation strikes against the coercive advance (dadan) system enforced by European planters.
3. The famous play 'Nil Darpan', which depicted the oppression of indigo farmers, was authored by Bishnu Charan Biswas.

Which of the statements given above are correct?

  1. 1 and 2 onlyAnswer
  2. B
    2 and 3 only
  3. C
    1 and 3 only
  4. D
    1, 2, and 3

Answer

The correct option is the one stating that statements 1 and 2 only are correct.
Statements 1 and 2 are historically accurate. The Indigo Revolt (1859–1860) was led by Digambar Biswas and Bishnu Charan Biswas in Nadia, Bengal, where peasants united against the oppressive advance (dadan) system enforced by European planters. Statement 3 is false because the famous play 'Nil Darpan' highlighting the indigo farmers' suffering was written by Dinabandhu Mitra.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Evaluate Statement 1 regarding leadership and location.
Statement 1 is correct. The Indigo Revolt began in autumn 1859 in Govindapur village, Nadia district of Bengal, under the leadership of former employees of planters, Digambar Biswas and Bishnu Charan Biswas.
Verifying the origin and leadership of the 1859–1860 Indigo Revolt.
2
Evaluate Statement 2 regarding the economic trigger and nature of resistance.
Statement 2 is correct. Peasants refused to take cash advances (dadan) which bound them to cultivate indigo instead of food crops at unprofitable rates, leading to non-cultivation strikes and resistance to planter intimidation.
Analyzing the core agrarian grievances and mode of struggle.
3
Evaluate Statement 3 regarding the authorship of Nil Darpan.
Statement 3 is incorrect. The play 'Nil Darpan' (Mirror of Indigo) was written by Dinabandhu Mitra in 1860. Bishnu Charan Biswas was a leader of the revolt, not the author of the play.
Identifying the true literary work and author associated with the Indigo movement.

Key Concept

Indigo Revolt of 1859–1860 and associated historical facts
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Topics

Revolt of 1857, Peasant Struggles, and Tribal Uprisings

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