A Good Friday tradition among workers from Odisha continues at former colonial firm

This Good Friday, the headquarters of the 154-year old Andrew Yule Company resonated with verses from the Bhagavat Gita along with a puja for Lord Jagannath.

A practice started by the Odisha employees of this erstwhile colonial managing agency, under the patronage of Scotsman David Yule has continued uninterrupted through the ups and downs of the company and marks its 100th year in 2018.

Heritage building

Yule House, the headquarters of AY, which managed cotton and jute mills, tea gardens, coal companies, railways and a printing press, with over 80,000 on its rolls in its heyday, is listed as a heritage building in the heart of Kolkata’s business district.

The company was set up in 1863 when Andrew Yule, a strapping Scottish entrepreneur arrived in Calcutta, the then imperial capital of India. He founded a company as a managing agency at a time when railways, telegraph and postal services were making a beginning in the country.

George Yule, Andrew ‘s elder brother took over the reins in 1875. David Yule assumed AY’s control, after his uncle’s death and by 1902, Andrew Yule managed over 30 businesses including a printing press and even a zamindari in Midnapore district, where it promoted agriculture, forestry , fisheries, roads schools, and healthcare facilities.

Among its many employees were several from Odisha. Says septuagenarian Praful Das from Kendrapara, a special invitee to the centenary celebrations: “ Four generations of our family have been working here and since those days, people of all faith have been participating in this puja…It was a small affair then… it has grown in pomp now.”

Fluctuating fortunes

AY’s fortunes dived with the abolition of the managing agency system in 1969 and nationalisation of the coal and the insurance industry. The process of government acquisition ended with AY becoming a public sector enterprise.

However, the puja tradition goes on. Bijoy Panda a third generation employee, explained that the priest comes from Puri carrying a bit of the flag that flies atop the Puri Jagannath Temple and some special offerings from the Temple. The first invite is sent to the titular King of Puri.

source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> News> Cities> Kolkata / by Indrani Dutta / Kolkata – March 30th, 2018