Digital Heritage Trail
Words by Sadiya Ahmed, Everyday Muslim (Founder), Project Director
Project Summary
The ‘Empire and Partition – Remembering Partition’ Digital Trail (2024) takes visitors through historic locations in London linked to India’s history, struggle for independence, and the complexities of British colonial rule. This immersive journey transports the user through critical historical events in India and Britain from 1600 to 1972. As you explore, you unravel the intertwined history of trade, colonial India, its Partition, and the lasting impact this event had on its people.
The trail was created by a group of ten young people who were recruited by a call out on social media. The group was supported by heritage experts following a series of workshops and research sessions. The research findings and digital map are hosted on Layers of London, a free online resource that uses maps and user-generated content to blend history, geography, and digital technology. A downloadable map is available (PDF, 3.4 MB) for an actual walking tour of the trail.
Remembering Partition was supported by the Mayor of London’s Commission for Diversity in the Public Realm’s ‘Untold Stories’ programme. The event was launched at City Hall in August 2023. The choice of building had a bittersweet irony as City Hall is a government building which stands in a place steeped in the history of the British Empire.
The launch event of the digital trail at London’s City Hall
Please describe any challenges or opportunities you faced and how you responded to those challenges and opportunities
More research time would have allowed for more sites to be mapped – there are ten sites in Westminster for the walking trail and eighteen on the digital version. On the plus side, the digital platform is very versatile, and we can add more as research time allows.
What were the outcomes for service users or the parent body?
Outcomes for participants:
The stories of Partition are bringing this once hidden history to entirely new audiences. For many it is the first time they are hearing it, and some are expressing their surprise that these events happened so recently. And for others it has a greater significance as it is a realisation that their grandparents or great grandparents had witnessed the horror. For some they will never know their ancestral story but are now aware that they have a connection to it. And for others who are not from a South Asian background, they are beginning to understand the implications of British colonialism from a different perspective.
Khadijah Ahmed, Project participant: “Growing up, these stories were valuable because they helped me to piece together my own story as a young British Pakistani Muslim. It is important to me to document and record this so her [Khadijah’s great grandmother] story is heard and not lost forever. As my grandma has dementia, the stories she tells me about her mother-in-law are losing detail and sequence…I feel a responsibility to write these stories down, so the history of Partition can be seen in the way my great grandma, the true hero of the story, experienced it, and not just through the eyes of the powerful decision makers – who didn’t face the consequences of their actions.”
Outcomes for the organisation:
The key outcomes were firstly raising the profile of Everyday Muslim and our on-going work to create a central archive of Muslim lives, arts, education and cultures from across the UK; and secondly bringing the history of Partition to new audiences, to ensure that this part of British and South Asian history is never forgotten. Getting the support of prominent individuals, some from outside of the heritage sector, was another amazing plus for us and our work.
“London’s diversity is its greatest strength but for far too long our capital’s public realm has only shown a limited perspective of our city. The new Empire and Partition Heritage Trail will be an important step in helping Londoners and visitors learn more about our complex history.
The creation of an Indian, a Pakistani, and later a Bangladeshi state changed the fabric of the subcontinent forever, and Partition brought about immense suffering for the people who lived through it, as well as for subsequent generations. It is vital that we commemorate this and pay tribute to the impact South Asian communities have made to our city as we build a better London for everyone.”
The Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan
The launch event of the digital trail at London’s City Hall
“The impact of Partition on South Asia cannot be underestimated, and 76 years on, the repercussions continue to be felt around the world. The decisions for how the region would finally gain its independence were made right here in the heart of London, and the Empire and Partition Trail will bring to life the almost-400-year journey from the creation of the East India Company all the way to the births of modern-day India, Pakistan and Bangladesh. As one of the Commissioners for Diversity in the Public Realm as well as being the co-founder of South Asian Heritage Month, it is inspiring to see the work being done by so many to ensure that this part of British and South Asian history is never forgotten.”
Jasvir Singh CBE, Co-founder of South Asian Heritage Month
“The term ‘partition’ resonates differently in London. Once an imperial capital, many lines on maps across the world have been sanctioned from this space. It was therefore a great honour to contribute to the Empire and Partition Heritage Tail that journeys through the partition of India and Pakistan in 1947. The community heritage perspective foregrounds the intergenerational narratives of families impacted by political decisions. This project empowers communities as subjects and narrators of their story.
Thank you to Everyday Muslim for involving me in the project and to the Mayor of London’s support in bringing diverse stories to the public realm. While this trail tells the story of a painful past, it also reflects an undivided space where partitioned communities can come together. So let us come together once again for the launch of The Empire and Heritage Trail at our event, Remembering Partition at City Hall!”
Manasi Pophale, Creative Director of History Speak
Describe what you learned from the process: What went well?
As the event curator and host, it allowed me to platform the subject of Partition and Empire from a personal perspective. One that would foreground the feelings and emotions of inter-generational transmission of stories and trauma. Together with providing a space where we could reflect on and collectively choose how we remember and learn from the memories and experiences of those who survived the events of 1947.
If someone was thinking about taking on a similar project, what would be the one piece of advice you would give them?
That it is beneficial to be part of something wider. The project was part of South Asian History Month, which seeks to commemorate, mark and celebrate South Asian cultures, histories, and communities; and to understand the diverse heritage and cultures that continue to link the UK with South Asia. This was a great platform for us in terms of support for the project, and the access it created to new audiences.
The launch event of the digital trail at London’s City Hall
How will this work be developed in the future?
In the short-term:
To create Muslim History Maps, a trail outside of London which will tell the broader history of Partition and its connections to the UK. We hope this will become a central hub of Muslim history in Britain, bringing together academics, community and family historians and heritage practitioners.
To establish a memorial in London to commemorate the human impact of Partition in time for the 80th Anniversary in 2027. The project launch event hosted powerful and visceral discussions on the human impact of Partition, on communities across generations in the sub-continent and Britain, from panels reflecting academics, literary and community voices. Establishing a memorial to commemorate the impact of Partition was a central theme throughout the event; attendees contributed ideas by writing or drawing their ideas. Many suggested moving away from traditional statues or physical constructs and considering parks, gardens, and other sustainable alternatives. During the project, we commissioned first-stage memorial concept designs based on responses from community consultations and surveys. We also established an advisory board to support the ambition of creating a memorial or space in London.
In the long-term:
We must not let the impact and ramifications of Empire and Partition on the South Asian community in Britain to be reduced to mere platitudes around milestone anniversaries. Therefore, the Everyday Muslim Heritage and Archive Initiative will continue working with academics, historians, and the South Asian community regarding Empire and Partition in identifying ways in which we can educate, commemorate, unite, and ultimately begin the journey to healing.
Learn more about the project and download the walking trail map