Partition of India (1947) The 1947 partition of British India into Hindu-majority India and Muslim-majority Pakistan triggered one of history’s largest and most violent mass migrations. An estimated 10–15 million people crossed newly drawn borders: Hindus and Sikhs moved east into India, Muslims west into Pakistan (including East Pakistan, now Bangladesh). Communal riots, massacres, and sexual violence claimed up to two million lives. Trains arrived filled with corpses; refugee camps swelled for years. Families were torn apart, properties abandoned. The trauma reshaped national identities, cemented religious divides, and left lasting geopolitical tensions, especially over Kashmir. Despite the chaos, millions rebuilt lives in new lands, contributing to both nations’ economies and cultures. The partition migration exemplifies how decolonization, when fused with ethno-religious nationalism, can unleash catastrophic displacement—yet also demonstrate human resilience in rebuilding amid loss. Its echoes persist in South Asian politics, literature, and memory.
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