When did the Indigo revolt in Bengal, a peasant movement, start?
Last updated Jun 24, 2026
Correct Answer:
Option B —
1859
Key Highlights of the Revolt
Leaders: The movement was led by two brothers, Bishnucharan Biswas and Digambar Biswas.
The Cause: Planters forced peasants to sign fraudulent contracts and grow indigo instead of food crops (like rice). The "advances" (Dadun) given to farmers trapped them in a cycle of debt.
Methods of Protest: Unlike many other revolts, this was remarkably well-organized. Peasants refused to sow indigo, boycotted the planters, and physically resisted the "Lathiyals" (armed men) hired by the planters.
Intellectual Support: This was one of the first movements where the Bengali intelligentsia supported the peasants. Harish Chandra Mukherjee’s The Hindu Patriot and Dinabandhu Mitra’s play Nil Darpan (1860) played a massive role in exposing the atrocities to the world.
Outcome: The British government was forced to appoint the Indigo Commission in 1860, which declared the system exploitative and stated that "the planter was at fault."
Answer verified by Quintessence Classes faculty — Karan Nagar, Srinagar.
