Mauritius: Hinduism and Religious Pluralism

Clare Sisisky
The Pluralism Project, Harvard University

The island of Mauritius in the Indian Ocean has a religious diversity that reflects its rich history. Mauritius was discovered by Dutch explorers in the 17th century as an uninhabited island, and contemporary Mauritians have ancestors from France, mainland Africa, India, and China. The colonialists, slaves, indentured laborers and the various immigrant groups all brought their traditional religious practices with them to the small island, making Mauritius one of the most religiously diverse nations in the world. The capital city of Port Louis (population: 35,000) offers a small glimpse at the religious landscape of the whole island, where even small villages contain a multitude of religious communities.

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