Posters At The Arch: A Tradition of Protest, Conscience, and Humour in Odisha’s Railway Colony

Abstract

This narrative explores the unique and largely forgotten tradition of ‘posters’ within the Anglo-Indian community of Odisha – a creative practice that blended humour, protest and communal conscience in equal measure. Emerging in a pre-digital age, these anonymously drawn and handwritten posters served as sharp, witty commentaries on local behaviours, relationships, and social dynamics. Positioned prominently on the arch of the Sacred Heart Church or its adjoining walls, they became both a source of amusement and a mirror reflecting the values – and contradictions – of a tightly knit society. At the heart of this tradition was an anonymous figure affectionately known as the “Poster Man,” whose clever illustrations and well-timed captions gently called out gossip, age-gap romances, and questionable conduct, all while maintaining a tone of mischief rather than malice.

Drawing on oral history interviews with senior members of the community, this study documents how these posters – recalled through detailed anecdotes – functioned as a form of satire, subtle protest, and moral reflection. While they occasionally provoked discomfort or embarrassment, they also sparked dialogue, fostered introspection, and reinforced communal bonds. This work is not only a nostalgic account of a colourful chapter in local history, but also a tribute to the Anglo-Indian community’s resilience, creativity, and capacity for self-critique. Ultimately, it serves as a meditation on how small acts of anonymous dissent can engage a community’s conscience and leave lasting cultural imprints.