The partition of India in 1947 led to a massive transfer of people on both sides of the new
border. As a result, the population of Delhi swelled (nearly 500,000 people were added to Delhi's
population). Delhi became a city of refugees, with people living in camps, schools, military
barracks and gardens. The riots accompanying the Partition led to the killing of thousands of
people, and the looting and burning of their houses. Over two-third of the Delhi Muslims
migrated, and almost 44,000 homes were abandoned. Their places were taken over by Sikh and
Hindu refugees from Pakistan. These refugees were mostly rural landlords, lawyers, teachers,
traders and shopkeepers. After Partition, their lives changed as they took up new jobs as
hawkers, vendors, carpenters and ironsmiths. The influx of Sikh and Hindu refugee population and the outflow of the Muslim population changed the social milieu of Delhi. An urban culture
largely based on Urdu was.