ABSTRACT
The origin of the missionary involvement in indigo disputes, one outcome of which was Long’s imprisonment, can be traced back to the experience and problems of a few men-on-the-spot. In this case the missionaries mostly concerned were the German representatives of the C.M.S. who happened to be working in the Krishnagar or Nadia district – the largest and most important indigo producing area in Lower Bengal. Because they were better acquainted than most other missionaries with the way in which indigo cultivation affected the ryot population they were the first to draw attention to its ‘evils’, to clash with planters and to press for changes in the system.
