Chirner village near Panvel - The village of forest satyagraha and the ancient ghadegals
The year 1930, September 25th in Raigad district near Panvel, an incident took place in village of Chirner that shook not only India but the entire British Government. It was the year when civil disobedience and salt satyagraha was at its peak against the British. To make a mark and raise a voice against the oppression of Government, Indian leaders started salt satyagraha, and the movement of disobedience moved to other forms also like forest satyagraha or violation of forest law, nonpayment of land revenue etc. Though these was being organized across India, the one forest satyagraha at small villages in Raigad district near present day Panvel gained lot of attention. The British administration did not want the villagers to cut the forest trees without paying as it was loss of revenue while the villagers did not want to pay any revenue to government and also needed wood for their basic needs. A mass forest law violation in nonviolent form was organized at villages in Chirner, Kalhe, ...