Gandhian Era — First Phase

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First Phase — Quick Timeline

1915–1922

9 Jan 1915

Gandhi returned to India (South Africa from). Pravasi Bharatiya Divas is observed on this date.

1917

Champaran Satyagraha — First Civil Disobedience. Bihar. the Tinkathia system ended.

1918

Ahmedabad Mill Workers — First Hunger Strike. 35% bonus was obtained.Kheda Satyagraha — Revenue non-payment. Sardar Patel involved.

18 Mar 1919

Rowlatt Act passed — "Black Act." No argument, no lawyer, no appeal.

13 Apr 1919

Jallianwala Bagh Massacre — General Dyer. 1919 Baisakhi day. Amritsar.

Nov 1919

All India Khilafat Conference — Delhi. Gandhi president.

1 Aug 1920

Non-Cooperation Movement starts. Tilak died on the same day.

4 Feb 1922

Chauri-Chaura Incident — 22 police killed. Gorakhpur, UP.

12 Feb 1922

Bardoli Resolution — Gandhi withdrew the Non-Cooperation Movement. because of the Chauri Chaura incident.

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Mahatma Gandhi — Personal Profile

Category	Details
Birth	2nd October 1869, Porbandar, Gujarat
Father	Karamchand Gandhi
Wife	Kasturba Gandhi
Profession	lawyer (Barrister from England)
South Africa	1893 in went — Dada Abdullah's request on
Insult (South Africa)	was forced off the train at Pietermaritzburg Station
India return	9 January 1915 — Pravasi Bharatiya Divas is observed on this date
Political Guru	Gopal Krishna Gokhale — Advice: "Tour the country for one year and understand it"
Title (1915)	Kaiser-e-Hind — British war efforts for (WWI)
UNESCO Honor	2nd Oct = International Non-Violence Day (Ahimsa Divas)

Institutions & Ashrams (Chronology)

1894

Natal Indian Congress — South Africa.

1904

Phoenix Ashram — South Africa.

1910

Tolstoy Farm — South Africa.

1915

Satyagraha Ashram before Kochrab, Ahmedabad in.

1917

The ashram was shifted → Sabarmati River on the bank of (Famous as Sabarmati Ashram).

Magazines

Indian Opinion (South Africa) Young India (India) Harijan Navjivan

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Three Early Satyagrahas — 1917–1918

Champaran Satyagraha

1917 | Bihar

Nature: First Civil Disobedience (First Civil Disobedience)

Who invited him? Rajkumar Shukla (Lucknow Session 1916 in united)

Team: Rajendra Prasad, J.B. Kripalani, Mahadev Desai, Anugrah Narayan Sinha

Result: Champaran Agrarian Act (1918). the Tinkathia System was abolished (3/20th land on indigo cultivation).Title "Mahatma": Rabindranath Tagore gave it after the success.Opposition: N.G. Ranga opposed.

Ahmedabad Mill Workers

1918 | Ahmedabad

Mudda (Issue): Plague Bonus

Weapon: First Hunger Strike (the first hunger strike)

Mill Owner: Ambalal Sarabhai

Supporter: Anusuya Sarabhai (Ambalal's sister — supported Gandhi)

Result: The workers received a 35% bonus.

Kheda Satyagraha

1918 | Gujarat

Significance: Gandhi's First Non-Cooperation Experiment (precursor to NCM)

Issue: The government refused to waive revenue despite crop failure. Under the rule, revenue was to be waived when the crop yield fell below 25%.

Associates: Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel (invited Gandhi), Narahari Parikh, Mohanlal Pandya, Ravi Shankar Vyas

Significance: the first experiment in revenue non-payment.

Champaran 1917 = 1st Civil Disobedience Ahmedabad 1918 = 1st Hunger Strike Kheda 1918 = 1st Non-cooperation experiment "Mahatma" title = Rabindranath Tagore (post-Champaran)

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Rowlatt Act — 1919

Official Name: Anarchical and Revolutionary Crimes Act, 1919

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The committee was formed in 1917 under the chairmanship of Sidney Rowlatt.

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Called: "Black Act" (Black Act).

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Slogan: "No argument, No lawyer, No Appeal" — without lawyer, without appeal, without argument.

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Objective: suppress revolutionary activities without trial.

Timeline

Feb 1919

Bill Legislative Council arrived in.

18 Mar 1919

The Act was passed.

6 Apr 1919

Gandhi called for a nationwide strike.

9 Apr 1919

Punjab leaders Dr Satyapal and Saifuddin Kichlew were arrested, violence increased, and martial law was imposed in Punjab.

Resignations in Protest

✍️

resigned from the Central Legislature: Madan Mohan Malaviya, Mazharul Haq, Mohammad Ali Jinnah.

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Jallianwala Bagh Massacre — 13 April 1919

Baisakhi Day | Amritsar, Punjab

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Date: 13th April 1919 (Baisakhi). Place: Amritsar, Punjab.

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Sequence: 10 April — protest + police firing. 13 April — peaceful gathering (Satyapal + Kichlew's against their arrest). General Dyer ordered firing without warning.

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Revenge: Udham Singh 1940 in London Michael O'Dwyer's assassinated.

Reactions to Massacre

Person	Reaction / Action
Rabindranath Tagore	Returned his 'Knighthood' (Sir) title.
Mahatma Gandhi	Surrendered his 'Kaiser-i-Hind' title.
Shankaran Nair	Resigned from Viceroy's Executive Council — Most Imp MCQ!
C.F. Andrews	Termed it "Deliberate Brutal Murder".
British Reaction	Punjab's Lt. Governor Michael O'Dwyer "Lion of the British Empire" was called.

Hunter Committee — Inquiry

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Chairman: Lord William Hunter. Total 8 members — 5 British + 3 Indian.

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Indian Members: Chimanlal Setalvad, Pandit Jagat Narayan, Sardar Sahibzada Sultan Ahmed Khan.

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British Members: W.F. Rice, George Barrow, G.C. Rankin.

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Result: The report described Dyer's action as inhuman, but no punitive action was taken. Gandhi called the process a "whitewashing" exercise.

13 Apr 1919 = Baisakhi + Massacre Tagore = returned Knighthood Shankaran Nair = resigned from Viceroy's Council Udham Singh = 1940 O'Dwyer killed

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Khilafat Movement — 1919

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Core issue: The Treaty of Sèvres (1920) partitioned Turkey after the First World War and threatened the position of the Caliph.

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Ali Brothers: Muhammad Ali + Shaukat Ali.

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Other Leaders: Hakim Ajmal Khan, Hasrat Mohani, Maulana Azad.

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All India Khilafat Conference: Delhi, November 1919. President: Mahatma Gandhi, who regarded it as a valuable opportunity for Hindu–Muslim unity.

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Khilafat Day: 31st August 1920.

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End (1924): Mustafa Kemal Pasha's Turkey in reforms introducing after movement end.

Ali Brothers = Muhammad Ali + Shaukat Ali Khilafat Day = 31 Aug 1920 End 1924 = Mustafa Kemal Pasha reforms Gandhi = President of All India Khilafat Conference

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Non-Cooperation Movement — 1920–22

Gandhi's First Mass Movement

Tale of Two Sessions

Calcutta Special Session (Sep 1920)

President: Lala Lajpat Rai

Agenda: Gandhi proposed the resolution.

C.R. Das: Proposal's opposition (oppose)

Outcome: Proposal narrowly passed

Nagpur Annual Session (Dec 1920)

President: C. Vijayaraghavachariar

Agenda: Proposal Final Approval was obtained

C.R. Das: Resolution himself move (support)

Outcome: 15-member Congress Working Committee (CWC) was formed

Movement Details

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Start date: 1 August 1920. Bal Gangadhar Tilak died that same morning.

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Tilak Swaraj Fund (1921): Created to finance the movement; ₹1 crore was collected in only six months.

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Participation: Middle class, Business class, Peasants, Students, Women.

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Significance: Hindu-Muslim Unity one new height on reached.

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Spread: Punjab, Madras Presidency (Andhra + Guntur), Malabar, Assam.

1 Aug 1920 = NCM start + Tilak death C.R. Das = Calcutta oppose → Nagpur support Tilak Swaraj Fund 1921 = 1 Crore in 6 months CWC = 15 members was formed Nagpur 1920

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Chauri-Chaura Incident & NCM Suspension

The Incident

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Date: 4th February 1922.

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Place: Chauri-Chaura, Gorakhpur, Uttar province.

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Key local figure: Bhagwan Ahir. A crowd gathered to protest against his beating.

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Incident: A clash occurred between the police and local people, after which the crowd set the police station on fire.

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Result: 22 Policemen were burned alive (died).

Suspension of NCM

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Announcement Date: 12th February 1922.

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Place: Bardoli (Gujarat) → called "Bardoli Resolution."

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Reason: The violence at Chauri Chaura; Gandhi strongly opposed violence.

Consequences for Gandhi Ji

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Arrested: 10th March 1922.

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Sentenced: 18th March 1922 — 6 years's sentence.

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Release: He was released in February 1924 because of ill health.

Famous Quotes on NCM Suspension

Mahatma Gandhi

"Himalayan Blunder" — Gandhi used this expression for what he considered his mistake while withdrawing the Non-Cooperation Movement after Chauri Chaura.

Subhash Chandra Bose

"National Calamity" (National Calamity) — NCM withdrawing said. (very times asked is!)

Other Contemporary Movements

Movement	Year	Region / Note
Guru's Bagh Satyagraha	1922–23	Punjab
Flag Satyagraha (flag Satyagraha)	1923	Nagpur
Borsad Satyagraha	1923	Gujarat
Tarakeshwar Satyagraha	1924	Bengal
Vaikom Satyagraha	1924–25	Kerala — Temple Entry Movement

4 Feb 1922 = Chauri-Chaura (22 police) 12 Feb 1922 = Bardoli Resolution = NCM withdrawal Bose = "National Calamity" Gandhi arrested 10 Mar, sentenced 18 Mar 1922

⚠️ Trap #1 — Pravasi Bharatiya Divas = 9 January

Gandhi returned to India 9 January 1915 [cite: 3]. On the same day Pravasi Bharatiya Divas is observed[cite: 3]. South Africa from return was — for the first time not arrived the[cite: 3].

⚠️ Trap #2 — "Mahatma" title kisgave?

Rabindranath Tagore Champaran Satyagraha's success after "Mahatma" title gave[cite: 3]. Gokhale not — that Gandhi's political guru the[cite: 3].

⚠️ Trap #3 — Indian Women's Association = Annie Besant, Gandhi not

The Women's Indian Association was founded in 1917 by Annie Besant and Margaret Cousins, not Gandhi. The year coincides with the Champaran Satyagraha and can cause confusion.

⚠️ Trap #4 — Shankaran Nair — most important MCQ

Jallianwala Bagh after Shankaran Nair Viceroy's Executive Council resigned from [cite: 3]. Tagore Knighthood returned, Gandhi Kaiser-i-Hind returned — separate reactions remember[cite: 3].

⚠️ Trap #5 — C.R. Das before oppose, then support

C. R. Das opposed the Non-Cooperation proposal at the Calcutta Session of 1920[cite: 3], but personally moved the supporting resolution at the Nagpur Session later that year[cite: 3]. His role differed between the two sessions.

⚠️ Trap #6 — "Himalayan Blunder" context

"Himalayan Blunder" was Gandhi's expression in the context of withdrawing the Non-Cooperation Movement after Chauri Chaura[cite: 3]. Subhas Chandra Bose called the withdrawal a "National Calamity"[cite: 3].

⚠️ Trap #7 — NCM start date = Tilak death date

The Non-Cooperation Movement began on 1 August 1920, the same morning that Bal Gangadhar Tilak died[cite: 3]. This coincidence is frequently asked in examinations.

⚠️ Trap #8 — Rowlatt Act resignations

Madan Mohan Malaviya, Mazharul Haq and Mohammad Ali Jinnah resigned from the Central Legislature in protest against the Rowlatt Act[cite: 3], not from the Viceroy's Executive Council.

⚠️ Trap #9 — Khilafat end = Mustafa Kemal Pasha 1924

Khilafat Movement 1919 began in — 1924 ended in when Mustafa Kemal Pasha Turkey in reforms introduced (Caliphate abolish's)[cite: 3]. Turkish reforms = Khilafat's end.

⚠️ Trap #10 — Who invited Gandhi to Champaran?

Rajkumar Shukla invited Gandhi to Champaran after meeting him at the Lucknow Session of 1916[cite: 3]. Gandhi's team included Rajendra Prasad, J. B. Kripalani and Mahadev Desai[cite: 3]. Shukla was the person who brought Gandhi there, not the movement's principal leader.