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Swaraj Archive

1847–1947

Timeline

Filter by era or theme. Select an event to read its causes, consequences and sources.

1915–1934

Gandhian Era

Satyagraha turns the struggle into a mass movement of peasants, workers and women.

  1. April 1917

    Champaran Satyagraha

    Gandhi went to Champaran in Bihar to investigate peasants forced to grow indigo under the 'tinkathia' system. He refused an order to leave and recorded thousands of statements.

    economic · regional · social

  2. 13 April 1919

    Jallianwala Bagh Massacre

    General Dyer ordered troops to fire on an unarmed crowd in Amritsar, killing hundreds who had gathered against the Rowlatt Act.

    political · regional

  3. March–April 1919

    Rowlatt Satyagraha

    The Rowlatt Act allowed imprisonment without trial. Gandhi called a nationwide hartal on 6 April 1919 — the first all-India protest.

    political

  4. 1920–1922

    Non-Cooperation Movement

    Gandhi launched a nationwide boycott of British courts, schools, councils and cloth, joined with the Khilafat cause. He called it off after the violence at Chauri Chaura.

    political · economic · social

  5. 4 February 1922

    Chauri Chaura Incident

    A crowd in Chauri Chaura (Gorakhpur) set fire to a police station after police fired on protesters, killing 22 policemen. Gandhi called off the Non-Cooperation Movement.

    political · social

  6. 1928

    Simon Commission Boycott

    An all-British commission came to review India's constitution. Indians greeted it with black flags and 'Simon Go Back'. Lala Lajpat Rai died after a police lathi charge.

    political

  7. 26 January 1930

    Purna Swaraj Declaration

    At the Lahore session (December 1929), under Nehru's presidency, the Congress adopted complete independence as its goal and celebrated 26 January 1930 as Independence Day.

    political

  8. Painting of villagers gathering salt from salt pans on the Gujarat coast

    12 March – 6 April 1930

    Dandi March

    Gandhi walked 385 km from Sabarmati to Dandi and broke the salt law, starting the Civil Disobedience Movement.

    political · economic

  9. 23 March 1931

    Execution of Bhagat Singh, Rajguru and Sukhdev

    The three HSRA revolutionaries were hanged in Lahore for the killing of police officer Saunders.

    political

  10. 1930–1932

    Gandhi–Irwin Pact and Round Table Conferences

    Britain held three Round Table Conferences in London. Under the Gandhi–Irwin Pact (March 1931), Congress paused Civil Disobedience and Gandhi attended the second conference.

    political

  11. 24 September 1932

    Poona Pact

    After Gandhi's fast against separate electorates for Depressed Classes, Ambedkar agreed to reserved seats within joint electorates.

    political · social