Murli Bharahwa Village of West Champaran : Epicentre of Champaran Satyagraha Socialquake

Murli Bharahwa Village of West Champaran : 

Epicentre of Champaran Satyagraha Socialquake

Image (C) Dr Ajay Kumar Ojha

Murli Bharahwa is a small village in Belwa panchayat of West Champaran district of Bihar India. It is situated in the south of Pandai river 14 km from Gaunaha, near Narkatiyaganj railway station.

The village got flashed in the news once again during the centenary year of Champaran Satyagraha of Mahatma Gandhi. Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar visited this village on 27th April 2017 to inaugurate Champaran Satyagraha Centenary year in a grand ceremony.

Land of West Champaran
Image (C) Dr Ajay Kumar Ojha

This village has a very important place in the Champaran Satyagrah of Mahatma Gandhi. In fact it is the epicentre of Champaran Satyagraha Socialquake which became the background of India's Independence movement.There is a village named Belwa 6 km away from Murli Bharahwa where there was a Neelaha Kothi. The manager of this Kothi A.C.Amon was a very cruel person who used to torture indigo planters- farmers. The farmers of Champaran were in great distress.

Pandit Rajkumar Shukla, who was instrumental in bringing Mahatma Gandhi to Champaran for witnessing the grief and agony of the farmers, had land and house in the same village. When Barrister Gandhi came to Bettiah, Pt Rajkumar Shukla narrated the story of his pain and pang. Amon got his house destroyed and produce looted. Mahatma Gandhi witnessed all this with his own eyes in Murli Bharahwa  and became very disturbed. Hundreds of people present there told about the miseries of the farmers and the incidence of looting and squandering.

Mahatma Gandhi led a satyagraha movement after witnessing the  plight of the farmers of Champaran. This satyagraha culminated into abolition of the exploitation and oppression of the Britishers on the indigo planters and farmers.

Murli Bharahwa village of West Champaran will always be remembered for its crucial  and epicentric role in Champaran Satyagraha and India's Freedom Struggle. Murli Bharahwa thus has been the epicentre of not only Champaran Satyagraha but also India's Freedom Struggle socialquake.