Port Louis Diversity Slide Show

The majority of Mauritians are descendents of laborers from India that began coming to Mauritius in the early 1800s from the north Indian state of Bihar. These Bihari Indians and some fellow Hindi-speaking Hindus settled as a community in Mauritius and began to build temples for their religious practice. This temple, the Shri Jagannath Kchetra Mandir, is an example of a contemporary Hindu temple of the Hindi-speaking community in Mauritius.

This temple exemplifies the often simple architecture based on a North Indian style. The early settlers built basic shrines on the sugar estates and only later where able to build more significant temples as the population of Hindus in Mauritius grew in size and prosperity.

This is the Vishnu Kchetre Mandir, built in 1931. Although this temple is primarily dedicated to the Hindu god Vishnu, the main shrines of a majority of Mauritian Hindu temples of the Hindi-speaking community are of Lord Shiva, and the temples are referred to as Shivalas.

In 1910, a Hindu reform movement called the Arya Samaj was established in Mauritius, attracting large numbers of Hindi-speaking devotees into the movement and away from their more traditional forms of rituals and temple worship. Partly in response to the work of Christian missionaries and to the popularity of the Arya Samaj movement, some leaders among the Hindu priests felt their religious practices and traditions were threatened in their role as the predominant form of religious culture among the Hindi-speaking Hindus of Mauritius so they founded various religious organizations.

In contemporary Mauritius, the Mauritius Arya Sabha is the main organization of the Arya Samaj movement, organizing events and festivals specific to the Arya Samaj, as well as administering the funding and leadership of its 450 branches around the country. The Mauritius Arya Sabha continues the social service projects, especially of education, that were introduced in the early years of the movement. The group also places great emphasis on the propagation of the Hindi language in Mauritius, one reason why they have their own high school in the capital.

Splitting from the central organization over issues of caste and representation, two other groups emerged from within the Arya Samj movement in Mauritius. The first group, called the Mauritius Arya Ravi Ved Pracharini Sabha, known locally as the Ravi Veds, was founded in 1934 and aimed to promote the interests and well-being of its members, who usually joined on a caste related basis. Their administrative headquarters are pictured here.

After the allocation of funding for all recognized religious groups on the island by the secular government in 1956, the Ravi Veds also took on the administration of funding for approximately 130 branches and were able to build additions to their main center in Port Louis.

The second of the other Arya Samaj groups is the Rajput Gahlot Maha Sabha, founded in 1965 when the politics of independence were at the forefront. This group was again formed to protect the interests of a traditionally lower caste group, although they claim to trace their ancestry to the Rajput leaders of the Indian state of Rajasthan despite no records indicating any immigration from that region of India. This group is based today in Port Louis, the capital city, where it maintains a large temple. The group also has about 75 branches around the island, some of them very small.

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.

Tamils are primarily Shaivaite, devotees of Shiva and his theological line, and most Mauritian kovils are dedicated to Murgan, son of Shiva, or a form of the mother goddess such as Mariammen, or in this case Kali-Ammen.

In light of the new government funding available at the time, the Mauritius Tamil Temples Federation (MTTF) was established in 1960 to oversee the administration of the Mauritian kovils and to attempt to bring together the leadership of the Tamil community. The MTTF continues to provide the leadership for the Tamil Hindu community of Mauritius and the 106 kovils and groups belonging to the organization. The MTTF continues to build new kovils and adhere to very strict traditional Tamil architecture, which includes an elaborate gateway into the temple compound as pictured here at the Arulmigu Kannanoor Mariammen Kovil.

The decorations at this temple are a sign that the community is preparing to celebrate one of the many distinctly Tamil festivals. This temple is home to one of the largest Theemidi or Fire-Walking celebrations on the island where devotees walk across a pit of hot coals as a demonstration of their devotion.

Pictured here is the pit that contains the hot coals for the Theemidi festival. Most kovils around the island host a Theemidi between the months of January and March.

The Sockalingum Meenatchee Ammen Kovil, known as Kaylasson, is the largest Tamil temple in the country and a central place for celebrating the Tamil festival of Kavadee.

Although there are very few Mauritian craftsman skilled and trained in the traditional arts of temple sculpting and temple building, Mauritian Tamils take great care when building their kovils to adhere to the traditional designs and often bring craftsmen from India to complete that task.

The close-up of this figure from a sculpture at the Kaylasson Kovil demonstrates the significant level of detail that goes into each painted sculpture. The sculptures are often symbols and narratives of the Tamil pantheon.

Although the temple complex of Kaylasson incorporates elaborate temple design, this tree still serves as center for worship and is reminiscent of the shrines found in some rural areas throughout the island.

Like the Tamil Hindus, the Mauritian Telegus are descendents from south Indian immigrants. Tracing their linguist, cultural and religious heritage to the state of Andhra Pradesh in south eastern India, the Telegus of modern Mauritius have a strong and tight-knit community, but encounter many of the problems faced by small minority groups the world over.

Another part of the complex is a large function hall. This type of hall is a common addition to many Hindu temples around the island and is used for cultural celebrations, social functions such as wedding receptions and ceremonies, and administrative meetings.

Many of the Indian immigrants that came to Mauritius as indentured laborers from North India were Muslims. Today their descendents, the Muslim Indo-Mauritians, make up around 20% of the total population of the country. The Jummah Mosque pictured here is the largest mosque in the nation.

The Jummah Mosque was built in 1852. The architecture and green and white coloring is typical of mosques in India, a tradition that has continued in Mauritius despite an influx of influences from the Arab world.

The Jummah Mosque is frequented by the large Muslim population that is concentrated in the capital city. However, Muslims from all over the country come to the Mosque on special visits, especially during Ramadan, as it is seen as the central mosque on the island.

The Al-Medina Masjid is still under construction and testimony to the continued expansion and creation of mosques on the island. This mosque is close to many centers of business and is always crowded during Friday prayer times. The loud speakers allow the call to prayer to be heard throughout that area of the city.

The minaret of the Markajee Islam Central Mosque in the center of the city also amplifies the call to prayer. Although many Mauritian Muslims are not extremely observant, many do observe prayer times, something which is accommodated in most office buildings if employees do not go the mosque.

The minaret has a towering presence over the city and provides a helpful landmark for orienting newcomers. There are 18 mosques in the city of Port Louis.

As in all Mauritian towns and villages, religious communities live, work and worship side by side. The smallness of the island provides close encounter for the minaret and the crucifix outside the St. Louis Cathedral.

The Church of Immaculate Conception was originally a small wooden house where French missionary Father Jacques Lebrun first introduced Catholicism to African slaves in 1841. The church is now typical of many Gothic style churches around the island and serves a center for the Creole Mauritians, the decedents of slaves, who have a vibrant Catholic community.

The St. Louis Cathedral is another Gothic style Catholic church and was built in its current form in 1933. On this site was the first church in Mauritius, built in 1752, that served the French colonial authorities.

The figure known in Mauritius as Pere or Father Laval was born Jacques Desire Laval in France, where he entered the Catholic priesthood.

The Holy Cross Church is a vibrant center of Creole Catholicism. The Church began as a small chapel in 1848 and expanded over the years. However, in 1960 the Church was destroyed by a cyclone. The current Church (previous picture) and the surrounding complex of buildings and grounds (this picture) was rebuilt and completed in 1968. The Church offers extensive Sunday school education and other community programming.

Every year on the eve of the anniversary of Pere Laval's death, his followers make a pilgrimage from their homes to the shrine where his remains lie in St. Croix. Many churches and Catholic groups organize group pilgrimages and carry signs detailing their place of residence or group affiliation. However, other pilgrims walk towards the tomb on that evening.

Although a majority of Christians in Mauritius are Creole Catholics, there is also a significant Sino-Mauritian Catholic community. Sino-Mauritians trace their ancestors to Chinese merchants that came to offer supplies to the early settlers and workers. Currently about 5% of the population, much of the community are active Catholics and have their own parishes. Pictured here is St. Paul's Church of Port Louis where the Catholic mass and religious calendar are sometimes enhanced by traditional Chinese customs such as the celebration of the Chinese New Year.

There has also been a recent influx of Chinese Protestant churches. Straying from the traditional Catholicism of the island, these new evangelical communities have gained great popularity in the last few years.

Most of these new Christian centers focus on one ethnic community on the island. Pictured here is the new Centre Evangelique Charismatique that is primarily aimed at the Creole community. Although the current center is above a store, it has become so popular that the congregation is spilling out of the door. Although many of these new movements receive funding from abroad, many of them are dependent on the individual religious leader. The exception to this is the organized movement and expansion of the Assembly of God, which is currently attracting Mauritians from many communities including the Tamil Hindu community.

The St. James Cathedral is one of only a few Protestant churches on the island. This is an Anglican church and served the British administration during the time that Mauritius was a British colony. The church still has a small following of international workers and local Protestants.

Although many Mauritians of Chinese descent are Catholics, there are also many practicing Buddhists and those that continue their traditional religious practices such as ancestor veneration. This is one of the most famous Pagodas of the island.

Many Chinese Mauritians that are not active year round in traditional Chinese religious practice come to certain centers for special festivals or life cycle events. The most notable and widely celebrated of these is the Chinese New Year.

The gates of the Lam Soon Temple overlook the popular Champs de Mer, the horse race track of Mauritius.

Although there are only a few such Chinese temples, the inside of the Lam Soon Temple is not open very often so people often leave their candles and incense outside on the table provided.

Although there were no Sikhs that came to Mauritius with the initial influx of Indian laborers in the 19th century, sporadic immigration from India has continued as Mauritius continues to develop its high-tech industry. There is now a small Sikh community on the island and a relatively new Sikh temple or gurdwara, the Sri Guru Singh Sabha.

On the same site as the Sikh temple, a new Catholic church is being built demonstrating the close encounter and shared space of the diverse religious communities of Mauritius.