Partition Museum in Amritsar Punjab with Tear Jerking Displays

I had heard stories of loss, separation, horror and misery of partition of India in 1947 from my grandparents. My grandmother often cried not knowing what fate her mother (my great-grandmother) met. She had packed off her daughter (my grand mom) and her son-in-law to India. She stayed back in Bangladesh, then East Pakistan, intending to join them later which never happened.

My visit to Partition Museum in Amritsar Punjab jolted me and memories of my teary faced grandma resurfaced. What a pain that generation must have been through!

Partition Museum in Amritsar Punjab

Partition Museum in Town Hall

The bright red facade of Partition Museum starkly contrasts the dull sombre mood inside. It is a beautiful building with arched verandas, colorful Venetian glasses still clinging on to the old doors and heritage worn out floor tiles. It was the Town Hall of Amritsar; don’t forget to notice the impressive belfry.

Architect of this Town Hall was John Gordon. It was constructed between 1864 to 1870. The left wing of this building where the Partition Museum is housed was previously the headquarters of city police. The right wing of the building is undergoing major repairs now. (Visited in February 2020)

The right wing under repairs and reconstruction.

Partition Museum Lay-Out

The Partition Museum displays are spread out in 2 floors and in total has 15 galleries. They have rightly described it as journey through time!

Galleries 1 to 4 of Partition Museum

These 4 galleries showcase the history of Punjab. It is themed around rising resistance to British Raj in late 19^th and early 20^th century. Various objects on display are: textiles, newspaper cuttings, magazine articles, and fiery pamphlets showing resistance to colonial rule.

After Maharana Ranjit Singh’s rule ended in 1839 it was total chaos on who would rule next. In 1849 after the Anglo-Sikh war Punjab passed on to the hands of East India Company. The galleries highlight the role of parties like Indian National Congress, Ghadar Party, and Muslim League. For me it was a kind of walk into history lessons I had taken decades back. Congress demanded for Purna Swaraj (complete independence) in 1929.

What a struggle it was to remember dates I had thought then totally ignorant of what struggles our ancestors went through in reality!

Human migration during partition

Names of the galleries:

• Why Amritsar – Gallery 1
• Punjab – Gallery 2
• Resistance 1900 -1929 – Gallery 3
• The Rise 1930 – 1945 – Gallery 4 Labour Party came to power in Britain in 1945. The Party pledged to grant independence to India.

Galleries 5 to 8

These 4 galleries cover the chaos of 1946 and early 1947.

Names of the galleries:

• Differences 1946 – Gallery 5
• Prelude to Partition – Gallery 6Lord Louis Mountbatten, the last viceroy, announced the Partition Plan on 3 June 1947. He declared that the British had decided to transfer power to Indian and Pakistani governments by mid-August 1947.
• Boundaries – Gallery 7
• Independence – Gallery 8 The boundaries weren’t drawn yet, people were uncertain which side of the border their village would belong. Such helplessness!

Tales of loss during partition

Galleries 9 to 14

These galleries are heart breaking as they show the tragic impact of the decision to partition the country on the basis of religion. You get to see lots of donated articles by the families who bore the brunt of migration across the border.

Names of the galleries:

• Borders – Gallery 9 The new international border was declared on 17th August 1947.
• Migration – Gallery 10 tells the stories of loss, separation of family members.
• Divisions – Gallery 11 There is a model of well in one of the galleries, I was shocked to read that women jumped into these wells to save their honor from rioters. There are many such wells in Punjab.
• Separations – Gallery 12 Most of these galleries have audio recordings of migrants themselves who are in their 80s and 90s.
• Remembrances – Gallery 13 Few pictures and staircase to 2^nd floor
• Refuge – Gallery 14 Rails were used extensively by people on either side of the borders to migrate. Statistics is that 700,000 refugees traveled by train, both passenger and goods trains, between 15 August 1947 and 8 September 1947 alone. Those who couldn’t afford or make it trains set off on foot. Many who escaped the violence died of starvation, thirst and extreme weather. The gallery has audio effect of roaring steam engine.

Last Gallery of Partition Museum

Gallery of Hope – Gallery 15, is the last and most touching! A right tribute to the resilience of that generation, a symbol of faith and hope in future! Visitors leave their messages of love and peace in leaf shaped paper bits which are hung from a tree.

Eyes brimmed over as I reached this last section, I wanted to rush out. The haunting sound of screeching steam engine remained in mind for long after we moved out.

Some Statistics and Facts of Partition of India

• Freedom of India declared on midnight on 14–15 August 1947.
• Boundary Commission led by the British lawyer Cyril Radcliffe who had never visited India drew the line of partition.
• Partition and new borders declared on 17^th August 1947.
• Two provinces Bengal and Punjab divided on the basis of Muslim and non-Muslim areas.
• 18million people lost their homes
• 2 million people lost their lives.

Tips to Visit Partition Museum in Amritsar Punjab

The Museum is closed on Mondays.

Check for timings on festivals and public holidays.

Partition Museum timings – 10AM to 6PM.

Partition Museum Entry Fee is 10 per person for Indian Nationals · Free (Below 5 Years) for Children · 250 per person for Foreign Nationals

No photography allowed. They are very strict on this.

Washrooms available.

Wheelchair friendly.

Plenty of Parking space.

Location of Partition Museum

Partition Museum is located at a walking distance from Golden temple. You can combine this with Amritsar heritage walk. There are many eating joints around.

Read more: I am fond of visiting museums in the new places I go to. Here are my blogposts on different museums: Museums.

Conclusion

This trip to Partition Museum was courtesy Welcomhotel Amritsar. This 5 star luxury hotel of Amritsar has several other curated trips across the city of Amritsar, popular ones being trip to Attari Border for Beating Retreat Ceremony and Golden Temple.

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