Inside Champaran: Gandhi’s Legacy and the Forgotten Farmers of Bihar

In this special ground report, journalist Rohit Jha and the Witty Chokha team visit the Bhitiharwa Gandhi Ashram in West Champaran, Bihar, a historic site deeply tied to Mahatma Gandhi and the Champaran Satyagraha of 1917. It was here that Gandhi launched his first major movement in India, challenging the exploitation of farmers forced to grow indigo under British rule. The report revisits the places and people that shaped this turning point in India’s freedom struggle.

Through powerful visuals and storytelling, the video captures the spirit of resistance that defined Champaran. The team explores the Gandhi Smarak Sangrahalaya, where rare photographs, letters, and personal artifacts reveal Gandhi’s close association with figures like Rajkumar Shukla, Jawaharlal Nehru, Subhas Chandra Bose, Rabindranath Tagore, and Kasturba Gandhi. The report also uncovers stories of the farmers who endured the horrors of indigo cultivation and the courage it took for Rajkumar Shukla to bring Gandhi to Champaran.

Rohit Jha reflects on Gandhi’s enduring global legacy, noting how world leaders continue to visit Gandhi Ashrams during their India tours. Yet, he raises a crucial question have we truly upheld Gandhi’s ideals, or have they been reduced to memorials, statues, and road names?