Descendants of a Difficult Past: Narratives of the Sindhi Partition Refugees in Bangalore

Abstract

Severed from the immediate physical realities of the Indian partition, Bangalore, a city in South India, witnessed a large influx of Sindhi refugees during the partition years. However, the lived narratives of these refugees haven’t been examined in the Indian partition historiography. Identifying this discernible research gap, the paper examines the diverse resettlement strategies and practices adopted by the Sindhi refugees in Bangalore. Through an ethnographic lens and analysis of archival records, the paper also illustrates the various relief efforts implemented by the Mysore state to welcome the refugees to its fold. Beyond mere historical documentation, it delves into the dynamics of memory transmission among the refugees and the variations engendered in remembering partition when the community is settled in a South Indian state. Furthermore, the paper investigates how these memories continue to shape the political choices of the Sindhi community.