Critically examine the importance of oral history in studying an event such as the Partition of India.
By oral history, we generally mean the individual experiences of the people. The information about such individual experiences can be gathered by having interviews with the concerned people. Merits: The main advantage of the oral history is that it can be helpful in enlivening the events that occurred in the past. By this method, we can even know the experiences of the weak and the poor, who are often neglected in history. Demerits: The main disadvantage of oral history is that it is based on memoirs. It lacks credibility and is unreliable. Our view of Oral History and Partition: When we adopt the method of oral history about the partition of the country, our knowledge is widened. In Govt, reports we get data and statistics, but they do not tell us about the trials and tribulations of the people.For example, we can know how many women were exchanged after the partition of the country between India and Pakistan but we cannot know how much sorrow and hardships those women suffered. Only the bearer knows where the shoe pinches. Only the distressed women can relate their tales of woes.
