An immersive, research-led VR experience exploring generational trauma, identity, and memory through the objects carried during the 1947 Partition of British India.

Partition is often remembered through statistics — millions displaced, thousands killed — but rarely in the small, intimate details that shape generational memory. What She Carried reframes this history by focusing on personal narratives and symbolic objects passed down through families affected by the 1947 Partition of British India. Developed as my thesis project, the experience uses immersive storytelling to explore how trauma is carried, remembered, and transformed across generations. Its goal is not to reconstruct history, but to hold space for its emotional residues.

Project Goals

• Capture intergenerational memory through participatory storytelling.

• Create an immersive and emotionally resonant environment rooted in real narratives.

• Use virtual reality to honor silence, fragmentation, and the subjective nature of memory.

• Challenge archival and nationalist narratives of Partition by focusing on lived experiences.

Phase 1: Participatory Research & Oral Histories

The project began with in-depth interviews conducted with families across Pakistan, India, and Bangladesh. These conversations focused on personal stories tied to everyday objects such as keys, shawls, photographs, and diaries. These items became emotional touchpoints and gateways into generational memory. Instead of viewing participants as subjects, I engaged them as collaborators, involving them in shaping how their stories would be shared. This approach emphasized consent, care, and agency throughout the research process. The goal was not to reconstruct history, but to build a layered, intimate archive that reflects both what has been held onto and what has been lost.

Phase 2: 3D Scene Design & Spatial Storytelling

Using Unity and photogrammetry, I designed environments that feel both surreal and grounded, where these personal artifacts float in symbolic space. Users move slowly through rooms that each tell a unique story, encouraging moments of pause, presence, and reflection. To keep the experience focused, photorealistic textures were combined with minimalist design elements, allowing the emotional weight of the objects to remain central. This is not a puzzle or reenactment, but an invitation to witness and feel.

Phase 3: Sound, Embodiment & Trauma-Informed Design

To enhance the sense of presence, I layered spatial audio with ambient soundscapes and carefully chosen excerpts from the interviews. Each voice shares not only what is remembered but also how it is remembered. Sound serves as a bridge between physical space and emotional depth. Guided by trauma-informed design principles, the experience avoids graphic reenactments. Instead, it embraces fragmentation, silence, and absence, recognizing that some stories remain incomplete and some wounds resist narration. This thoughtful approach encourages reflection without retraumatization, allowing users to engage with memory in a respectful and meaningful way.

What She Carried serves as both a digital memorial and a speculative archive, honoring the small, emotional truths that are often missing from official histories. It highlights the power of participatory design—not just to share stories, but to create spaces where collective memory is held with care. For me, this project was a meaningful lesson in designing with empathy, cultural sensitivity, and deep intention. It’s about creating technology that doesn’t aim to impress but to remember.