Grand Eid for 1885’s Hindu-Muslim union

This Bakri Eid assumes special significance for a leading business group from Belgaum. Thanks to history professor and Modi script expert Dr Sonali Pednekar, the group, Modin Saheb Aga & Sakharam Ajgaonkar, discovered its roots and seeds of partnership sown by an enterprising Hindu and Muslim duo as early as 1885.

The group is indebted to Pednekar for having transliterated 19th century documents detailing the genesis of their business into English from Modi script and plans to celebrate Eid in a grand way to savour the emotional moment. 

“We have been working together for ages, but were unaware about the exact operations, size of business and turnover during the 19th century. Twenty years ago, I found a logbook written in Modi script at my ancestral home. No one could decipher what was written in it till I met Dr Sonali of Vaze college,” said Uday Ajgaonkar, 60, one of the group’s four partners.

“Dr Sonali took six months to transliterate the text running into 600-odd pages. The logbook for 1909-10 says that our business was flourishing within 20 years of getting into a partnership. The daily sale of yarn was around Rs1,200 then,” said Ajgaonkar who looks after the group’s headquarters in Mumbai.

The group’s story began in 1885 when Sakharam Ajgaonkar went to Belgaum to work in a mall. Yes, there was a mall in Belgaum then. Modin Aga also worked there.    

Sakharam and Modin were left jobless following the mall owner’s death. The duo then started trading yarn with the help of British officers at the mall.

“It was a rented place initially but was purchased by the next generation. People tried to break the partnership during the many riots during our forefathers’ time, but failed,” said 44-year-old Arif Aga. His teenage sons - Adil and Akib - the fifth generation of Muslim partners in the group - manage the business at the same place in Belgaum with Vinay and Milind Ajgaonkar. “Knowing your roots makes you proud,” said Arif. 

Though selling yarn remains the group’s core business, it has also diversified its activities - it is a dye house, owns pharma units, makes tiles, and has set up schools and colleges. “There are 355 members in our family. However, despite diversifying our business, we haven’t been able to beat out forefathers at business. Doing a daily business of Rs1,200 then was great,” said Ajgaonkar.

Knowing 19th century details of their business has made the two families very emotional. Celebrating Eid with each other will make the festival even more special this time.