The Tumult of 1947

India split into two independent countries after achieving independence from the British Raj (India and Pakistan). With about 25 million residents relocating to their new homes, a massive demographic swap emerged and what ensued was utter confusion. When the lines were drawn, a vast evil loomed over the population that was transitioning to a foreign nation. This major incident was characterised as a black stain on the history of the two countries with religious riots along with acts of injustice and brutality.

Indian independence came at a high price: a bloody partition that destroyed a million people and forced millions of people from their homes. These photos capture the 1947 tumult.