How Wartime Blackouts Affected Domestic Chores, Public Dining

When Great Britain and France declared war on Germany on September 3, 1939, few Indians believed that it would reach their doorsteps.

- Chinmay Damle

But India soon had to function as a military, industrial, and logistical base for allied operations.

Unlike previous wars, aerial attacks were the greatest threat posed by the conflict, and the British government established a volunteer organisation—Air Raid Precautions, or ARP—that would stand at the centre of wartime civil defence. Members of the ARP in Britain distributed gas masks to the population and policed the blackout. They played a vital role in shepherding people to shelter, reporting on damage, and rescuing people from wrecked buildings.

In India, ARP Law came into force in August 1939. Each city had multiple ARP wardens and a troop of volunteers to help them with their wartime activities. These wardens were supposed to work with the local police force, and at times with the Indian Army.

Regular drills were carried out by the ARP wardens in conjunction with the police, local hospitals, and the fire department when the Japanese hostility became a real threat. During the ARP practice, sirens would sound the "alert" and the "all clear", and during the "alert" period, a "total blackout" was enforced by the local authorities. This practice was intended primarily to test the efficiency of the ARP services during a night raid, and incidents were staged as if such a raid were occurring.

Members of the public were expected to cooperate by staying indoors and by turning out immediately on hearing the sirens, all indoor lights. No light was expected to be seen from outside.

An important task assigned to the ARP wardens was to educate people about blackouts. ARP propaganda was put across to the public in a graphic and easily assimilable font using illustrated Press advertisements.