Commemorating and remembering 1857: The revolt in Delhi and its afterlife

This study examines the physical impact of the 1857 revolt against British rule in India, in one of the most crucial arenas of resistance - the Delhi region of north India. This was a consequence, on the one hand, of the destruction, demolition and confiscation that took place in the city and also in some of Delhi's villages, during and in the aftermath of the revolt. On the other hand, equally transforming was the British commemoration of their victory, which resulted in the construction of a memorialized landscape by them, around the graves of dead soldiers and the scenes of military action. At the same time, part of what was destroyed and constructed in those tumultuous years had a rich afterlife, which saw an elaboration and reshaping of the landscape of remembrance, both by the 'victorious' and also by the 'conquered'.