e-mail: info@calcutta1940s.org ●
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● Last updated: 11-March-2009
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We
are a group interested in finding out more and presenting the history, life and
culture of the Calcutta of the 1940s. Our first aim is the capturing of the personal
reminiscences of Calcutta and surrounding area in one of its most
dramatic decades i.e. from 1939-1950.
To illustrate these reminiscences, we are also looking for old maps,
pictures, newspaper articles, diaries etc.
Our
second aim is to educate people about life iin
Calcutta in the 1940s. To do that we are
building up a virtual museum on the internet, with the materials we have
collected, where they can be publicly viewed sorted by topics. Quite a bit of our material can already be
viewed on this website, in the sections ‘Daily Life’, ‘Communities’, ‘Guided
Tours’ and ‘Historic Events’.
We
hope you enjoy our museum.
Why are we so interested in the
1940s?
We believe that in
The 1940s started with the outbreak
of World War II in Europe in September 1939 and two years later in Asia. The
war brought with it many changes in everyone’s daily lives, ranging from
rationing, and Japanese air-raids to the building of
The pressures of war saw a
widespread intensification of colonial suppression as well as deep conflicts of
loyalty for many Indians, some trying to help
The closing in of the war after the
fall of Singapore in 1942, brought an increasing number
of people to the city. Refugees from
Malaya and Burma, as well as soldiers from as far away as the United States
gained their first and often lasting, impressions of the city.
The 1940s also saw the heating up of
the struggle for independence with Subhas Chandra Bose escaping from
Calcutta to form the INA, and Congress starting the Quit India movement.
Meanwhile the economic pressures
combined with political neglect led to several civil catastrophes. The Bengal Famine, the Calcutta Killings, Partition
and its refugee crisis have all left deep and long-lasting scars on the social
landscape of the city.
The changing political and economic
situation at independence brought an end for many people’s lives in Calcutta,
as the British as well as many Muslim Bengalis, Anglo-Indians and other
formerly prominent Calcutta minorities left the city they had made their home
for generations.
The arrival of
By the end of this turbulent decade
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Last
updated: 11-March-2009
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If there
are any technical problems, factual inaccuracies or things you have to add,
then please
contact the group under info@calcutta1940s.org