Question

how was satyagraha materialised?

Answer 1

Satyagraha literally means an appeal for truth. Gandhiji used the method of non-violent struggle against the colonialist powers and termed it as satyagraha. Satyagraha aimed at appealing to the heart of the oppressor and making him realize his mistake by way of peaceful methods. Gandhiji believed that if one is truthful and honest to oneself and is fighting injustice, then use of force is not necessary. Satyagraha involves peaceful persuasion of the oppressor to see the truth. The main planks of satyagraha are truth and non-violence. Places where Satyagraha was implemented:

Champaran, a district in state of Bihar, was the first of the places where Mahatma Gandhi experimented with his theory of satyagrah in India. Tens of thousands of landless serfs, indentured laborers and poor farmers were forced to grow indigo and other cash crops instead of the food crops necessary for their survival. These goods were bought from them at a very low price. The farmers were given paltry compensation, leaving them mired in extreme poverty. The British levied an oppressive tax which they insisted on increasing in rate. Without food and without money, the situation was growing progressively unlivable and the peasants in Champaran revolted against indigo plant cultivation in 1914 (at Pipra) and 1916(Turkaulia). In this scenario, Mahatma Gandhi took over the leadership and it turned out to be a success.The Rowlatt Act was a law passed by the British in 1919 to indefinitely extend emergency measures in order to curb public unrest. It au horised the government to imprison for a maximum of two years without trial, any person suspected of terrorism. Gandhi was critical of this act and viewed as a repressive measure that intended to punish the population for the acts of few people. Gandhi launched a major agitation against the Rowlatt Act through his method of Satyagraha. There was a country wide response to his call of non-violent opposition on April 6. English manufactured goods and clothes were boycotted. The British were unnerved and imposed martial law in Amritsar where the response  was wide-spread. The British crackdown resulted in the Jallianwala Bagh massacre at Amritsar where people at a peaceful gathering were fired upon which resulted in large-scale casualties. It was an incident that drew widespread condemnation and exacerbated public anger