Explanation:

Indigo planting started in Bengal as early as 1777. It was first planted by one British Louis Bonard. When the British Power expanded, the indigo planting was emphasized because of a high demand of the Blue Dye in Europe. The peasants were compelled to plant Indigo rather than the food Crops.

The peasants were provided loans called "dadon" for indigo planting which was at a very high interest rate.

The loan made the people indebted and resulted in a rebellion.

The leaders were Digambar and Bishnu Bishwas. The condition was depicted in the newspaper Nil Darpan.

The anger of the peasants exploded in 1859 when, led by Digambar Biswas and Bishnu Biswas of Govindpur village in Nadia district, they decided not to grow indigo under duress and resisted the physical pressure of the planters and their lathiyals (retainers) backed by police and the courts. They also organised a counter force against the planters’ attacks. The planters also tried methods like evictions and enhanced rents. The ryots replied by going on a rent strike by refusing to pay the enhanced rents and by physically resisting the attempts to evict them. Gradually, they learned to use the legal machinery and initiated legal action supported by fund collection.

The Bengali intelligentsia played a significant role by supporting the peasants’ cause through newspaper campaigns, organisation of mass meetings, preparing memoranda on peasants’ grievances and supporting them in legal battles.