Open chronicle

 

There are estimated to be 700 to 1,000 British-era cemeteries across India that contain the remains of the men, women - and very often children - who died during the days of colonial era. Hundreds of graveyards containing the remains of soldiers, officials and adventurers who served in British India are on the verge of being lost forever. Although 585,202 deaths and burials of British citizens are recorded but there are many unrecorded graves across the India. Besides the British, there were other European citizens (French, Portuguese, Greek, Dutch etc.) who departed their lives in India and were buried here during the colonial era. Approximately, 20,00,000 European citizens are resting in peace in Indian subcontinent.

 

According to writer Rudyard Kipling, death was always a 'near companion' in colonial India. The tropical climate with its humid hot weather, unknown fever & illness and childbirth was the reasons of the death at that time. A significant number of records are found for death causing by lightening. Among the women, childbirth was the common reason for death at that time. Death of infants was also a very high in those days.

 

All such old cemeteries are the open chronicle of colonial era. The grave stones tell the story of those lost lives who came to India for their dream but failed to return to their mother land.

 

 

(The above shot is dedicated to my companion who is the prime motivation of my photography)

 

Done