Remembering natural disaster: Politics and culture of memorials in Gujarat and Sri Lanka

Abstract

This article explores memorial practices that emerged after the 2001 earthquake in Gujarat and along the eastern and southern coasts of Sri Lanka following the tsunami of 2004. In both locations, acts of memorialization are inseparable from reconstruction initiatives and politics of all kinds, and at all levels, have influenced the design, location, and inauguration ceremonies of memorials. In Gujarat, memorials are tied to the politics of religious communalism, regionalism, and mainstream Hindu nationalism. In Sri Lanka, memorials are local manifestations of national ethnic conflict and politics of the state.