Short answers, pulled from the story.
The Bheraghat inscription names Champāraňya as a region devastated by the Kalachuri king Yashaħkarňa during the 11th or 12th century. This medieval record marks one of the earliest written references to the area now known as Champaran in Bihar, India.
Mahatma Gandhi arrived in the Champaran district in 1917 to lead a satyagraha movement against European landowners and colonial policies. These policies forced local farmers to grow indigo crops while paying unfairly low prices for their labor.
Batak Mian served as a cook who saved Mahatma Gandhi's life during the Champaran movement. Local communities have worshipped at Mehsi Mazar since 1200 AD under the name Mirja Halim Shah Dargah.
Ramesh Chandra Jha published Champaran Ki Sahitya Sadhana in 1958 to document the region's rich literary history. His follow-up book Champaran: Literature & Literary Writers appeared in 1967 with detailed research on local writers.
Champaran now exists as two separate districts within the state of Bihar called East Champaran and West Champaran. This administrative split reflects changes made after independence from British rule.