Port Louis Diversity Slide Show



Photo © 2005 Zach Sisisky/The Pluralism Project



Caption









PAGE :  1 • 2 • 3 • 4 • 5 • 6 • 7 • 8 • 9 • 10 • 11 
 12 • 13 • 14 • 15 • 16 • 17 • 18 • 19 • 20 • 21 • 22 
 23 • 24 • 25 • 26 • 27 • 28 • 29 • 30 • 31 • 32 • 33 
 34 • 35 • 36 • 37 • 38 • 39 • 40 • 41 

INDEX : 1-10 • 11-20 • 21-30 • 31-41 • All


Back to Mauritius: Hinduism and Religious Pluralism Index

Back to Images page

The first immigrants from India actually arrived before the mass immigration of indentured laborers. Beginning as early as 1728, Tamil Hindus, Indians from the southern state of Tamil Nadu were brought to Mauritius from the French port of Pondicherry in South Eastern India. These Tamils were brought as skilled crafts men for the construction of the French colonial buildings and port in the city of Port Louis. The Tamil craftsmen remained small in number and influence until the influx of more Tamils during the immigration of indentured laborers beginning in the 1830s. Tamil Hindus share not only a geographic ancestry but also a linguistic and cultural heritage that is intimately linked to their distinct religious practices. With such a visible cultural and religious presence on the sugar estates, Tamils were soon able to secure land for shrines and later temples, known as kovils. Pictured here is one of the largest Tamil Hindu temples in Port Louis the Kaliammen Kovil.