Kolkata, Aug 14 (IANS) Bhoomi Pujan was held at the Sealdah railway station in Kolkata for the installation of a statue dedicated to the victims of the 1947 Partition on Friday.
The programme was held in coordination with the Union Ministry of Culture and the Indira Gandhi National Centre for the Arts (IGNCA).
The proposed memorial will pay tribute to the countless people who endured displacement, suffering, violence, and loss during one of the largest forced migrations in modern history.
Among those present at the event were West Bengal Urban Development Minister Agnimitra Paul; Minister of State for Information and Cultural Affairs Purnima Chakraborty; Minister of Public Enterprises and Industrial Reconstruction and Non-Conventional and Renewable Energy Sources Tapas Roy; Gitika Pandey, Eastern Railway (ER) General Manager; Rajeev Saxena, Divisional Railway Manager (Sealdah Division); and K. Anil Kumar, IGNCA Head of the Department under Union Ministry of Culture.
A special photo exhibition was also organised in memory of the victims of Partition during the occasion.
The exhibition showcased photographs depicting the Partition, the mass migration of people, the hardships faced by displaced families, and their journey towards rebuilding their lives.
Himangshu Gangopadhyay, an eye-witness of these Partition horror days, was also present at the occasion.
The exhibition served as a visual tribute to those who suffered and highlighted their courage, resilience, and determination in the face of immense adversity.
The Sealdah station played a very important role during the Partition.
Millions of Bengali Hindu refugees from East Pakistan (now Bangladesh) arrived there. Many of them moved to camps for refugees, while others stayed on the platforms for months and even years.
According to reports from those times, there would be more than 20,000 refugees at the station at any point of time between 1947 and 1950.
The influx gradually reduced but continued till the late 1960s.
“Thousands of people reached Sealdah after leaving behind their homes, families, belongings, and familiar surroundings in search of safety and a new beginning.
For many refugees, Sealdah was more than a railway station—it was the first point of arrival in an unfamiliar and uncertain life. The station witnessed the immense hardships and struggles faced by displaced families, as well as their courage, hope, and determination to rebuild their lives,” a railway official said.
Speaking at the occasion, the ER General Manager said that Sealdah is a living witness to the history of Partition and to the immense human suffering associated with it.
She noted that this memorial will be a humble tribute to those who were displaced and suffered unimaginable hardships, while reminding us of their extraordinary courage and resilience in rebuilding their lives, adding that it is our responsibility to preserve these memories for future generations.
Divisional Railway Manager (Sealdah Division) Saxena said that the Sealdah Division is deeply honoured to host this sacred memorial, which will stand as a permanent tribute to the millions who passed through these platforms under the most trying circumstances.
He emphasised that the Sealdah Division remains dedicated to maintaining this space as a dignified sanctuary of remembrance and resilience for all visitors.
“The memorial at Sealdah will thus be more than a statue—it will be a symbol of remembrance, resilience, and hope. Along with the photo exhibition, it will help preserve the memory of the people who passed through Sealdah during one of the most challenging periods in the history of the Indian subcontinent and honour their determination to begin anew,” the official added.
The statue will ensure that the stories associated with this important chapter of history continue to be remembered by generations to come.
–IANS
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