Question

How did Gandhiji's Salt March mobilize people across different strata against British rule? Explain with examples. OR "History, fiction, folklore,…

Accepted Answer

(i) Taking up the cause of the salt tax united communities across India as salt was a commodity consumed by the rich and poor alike. (ii) Dandi March initiated to break the Salt law. (iii) Started with 78 volunteers and was joined by thousands. (iv) Breaking of salt laws by thousands of people. (v) Participation by forest people who violated forest laws. (vi) Resignation by village officials. (vii) Participation of rich peasants (patidars and jats) who found it impossible to pay government revenue. (viii) Participation of poor peasants who could not pay rent to the landlords. (ix) Participation by Indian industrialists who wanted policies that would not restrict free trade. (x) Participation by factory workers. (xi) Large scale participation of women. (B) “History, fiction, folklore, songs, popular prints and symbols developed the sense of collective belonging in Indians during the 19 th century.” Explain the statement with examples. (i) Reinterpretation of History by nationalist historians glorifying the past. Revived interest in ancient Indian art, architecture, science, law and philosophy aimed to instill a sense of pride amongst Indians. (ii) Anandamath by Bankim Chandra Chattopadhyaya popularized Vande Mataram which united the people as it was widely sung as a hymn to the motherland during the swadeshi movement. (iii) The idea of nationalism developed through a movement to revive Indian folklore. (iv) In the late nineteenth century India, nationalists began recording folk tales sung by bards and they toured villages to gather folk songs and legends. (v) These tales they believed gave a true picture of traditional culture. (vi) Rabindranath Tagore collected ballads, nursery rhymes and myths. In Madras, Natesa Sastri published a four-volume collection of Tamil tales called “The Folklore of Southern India” (vii) Abanindranath Tagore painted the image of Bharat Mata. Devotion to the mother figure was seen as evidence of one’s nationalism. (viii) As the national movement developed leaders became aware of icons and symbols to unify the people. (ix) During the swadeshi movement in Bengal, a tricolour flag (red, green and yellow) was designed. It had eight lotuses representing the eight provinces of British India and a crescent moon, representing the Hindus and Muslims. (x) By 1921 Gandhiji had designed the swaraj flag which was a tricolour with a charkha in the middle. (xi) Carrying the flag during the marches became a symbol of defiance.

How did Gandhiji's Salt March mobilize people across different strata against British rule ? Explain with examples.

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