Abstract
The imminent influx of refugees from East Pakistan to Kolkata owing to the Bengal Partition of 1947 fragmented lives leading to an irreparable loss. The relocation of these refugees brought in a sense of detachment from their homes, belongings and relationships. The objects that these people could merely bring along in the fear of displacement, in the trauma of migration, or in the immediacy of flight were perhaps, a trunk, a wristwatch, a book, a small container. This paper looks into the intergenerational stories of partition that have come to me through some personal association with objects – which I revisit. The work is centrally focussed and developed around exploring the nature of tangibility and metaphorical significance of objects in the context of stories of displacement, migration and transit. The study attempts to understand the intimate world connecting objects of seemingly inconsequential impacts with its subjects in terms of interiority and affect; to touch a chord of memories and stories attached to them that transcends boundaries. Stories of objects found, carried or lost in transition gain newer meanings in the retellings, which can help shape the consciousness of individuals coming in contact with them in the future. Unpacking them would eventually unpack the lived experiences of the experiencers. The narratives are recounted and objects are revisited on a personal account with the photographs of belongings as a reference to ensure its readers the memories of touch and reliving the moments of grief, detachment and sorrow.
Details
Presentation Type
Paper Presentation in a Themed Session
Theme
2024 Special Focus—The World on the Move: Understanding Migration in a New Global Age
KEYWORDS
Displacement, Transit, Objects, Memories, Oral, Stories
