Calcutta Riots of August 1946: Muslim Experiences from the Troubled Times

This paper revisits the Calcutta Riots of August 1946 to bring to the fore the diversity and complexity of Muslim experiences, which is often neglected in the grand narratives of communalism and communal violence. Along with examining stories of displacements, trauma, and violence, the paper investigates instances of help, protection, and kindness that showed familiar bonds of neighbourliness and remained resilient despite communal polarity. In the final section, the paper reads a few letters written by Muslim residents both to the Congress and to the Muslim League that underscore an erosion of faith in their respective political parties, especially at a time when both parties claimed to represent and protect Muslim interests in the region, albeit in their own specific ways.