Travel
The Sikhs of Mauritius
by JASTEENA KAUR DHILLON
I am no longer in awe of the worldly and wandering Sikh whom I find in the most obscure and obvious places. Sikhs are everywhere from Afghanistan to America - always contributing and sharing with others of the country. Sikhs embody the principle of Vund Chhukna - that means that there is a social responsibility to share with the needy, and individuals are encouraged to do this through charitable deeds.
I am not surprised that we flourish wherever we go, since we carry with us the central tenets of kindness and openness.
This week reminded me how fortunate I am to come across my brothers and sisters wherever in the world I find myself working or playing. In the past, I have already written abvout my encounters with fellow Sikhs in faraway lands.
Although it is not at all a surprise anymore for me, but this week, while working in Mauritius, I discovered that there are Sikhs here too. I was fascinated by this discovery and want to share it with you.
Mauritius is a former colony of both the British and the French, who brought in indentured workers from India to work in the sugar cane harvesting by the French and British. I learned from Mauritians that the source of most of the settlers was the Indian province of Bihar, and so they speak a language based on Bihari, mixed now with French and English. The resulting mixed is called "Creole."
It is a delightful and pleasant language spoken by most of the members of the local population amongst each other.
When a Mauritian is approached by a English speaker, they respond in perfect British-accented English and when spoken to by a French speaker, they reply in beautifully articulated French.
The Sikhs, who have settled here, and who, for the most part, have not lived in French speaking colonies ever, have
adapted to this trilingual culture with ease and most naturally. According to official number, 0.3 % of the population in Mauritius are Sikhis, the fourth most significant religious group in the country.
The Sikhs of Mauritius are for the most part professionals. They have come here to work in companies in the burgeoning IT and banking sector based in the capital, Port Louis. They coalesce around the Gurdwara and a community of several hundred.
Sikh-Mauritians are to be found in other parts of the island counyry as well. So when one looks up blogs, there are notes about Sikhs who come from places like Quatres Bornes, a midsized city located halfway between Port Louis and Curepipe in the central highlands of the country.
I had chai with a Sikh gentleman whom I met the other day on my travel from Mahebourg to Port Louis.
When I came across him, he was at a bus stop waiting with others for transport between towns. He looked rugged and worn like someone who is involved in the labour sector, much different than what I had heard about Sikhs in the banking and IT sector.
Sardar Attar Singh told me that he had come here to work on the sugar cane fields and stayed after he married a local woman. He tries to maintain ties with his Sikh culture, but given that the closest gurdwara is in Port Louis, the family only manages to get to meet
other Sikhs only on special occasions.
There is also a large exchange of professional skills among Mauritians and Sikhs, as part of the larger exchange between India and Mauritius. The finance, IT, commercial, military, tourism and cultural sectors all have regular trade and exchange of skills and goods between the two nations. It makes sense since the cultural connection for the Mauritians with India, the ancestral lands of the first indentured settlers is extremely precious.
An example of the cultural synergy was displayed when a group of beach musicians who were playing songs for us included a variety of Bhangra and Bollywood to ensure that we felt right at home. The chorus of us singing 'Balle, Balle!' was joyful and fun!
So I leave you with a strong recommendation to visit Mauritius and see how our brothers and sisters have established a strong and proud presence in the paradise island.
December 13, 2010
Conversation about this article
1: Harbans Lal (Arlington, Texas, U.S.A.), December 14, 2010, 6:43 PM.
When in Mauritius, you missed your chance to meet the most significant Sikh citizen of that country, Ambassador Jagdish Singh Koonjul. Jagdish served as Chairman of the United Nations Security Council in addition to serving as the Permanent Representative of the Republic of Mauritius to the United Nations, as well as Chairman of the Alliance of Small Island States. He also served as the Ambassador of his country to many countries including India and United States.
2: Gurinder Singh (Stockton, California, U.S.A.), December 14, 2010, 8:15 PM.
My first visit to Maurtius was in 1972. I lived there for two weeks and moved around the country. I did not find any Sikh that time. Indian settlers were mainly from Bihar, brought by British to work on sugar cane fields. There was an education minister in the cabinet whose last name was Singh and I was told that his father was Sikh who came as a body guard of the then British Governor. He married a local Bihari girl but remained a Sikh with his saroop intact till his death. My second visit to Mauritius was in 1989. It was a brief stop-over while going to South Africa. I met two Sikhs who were engaged in a trading business and they told me that they had a gurdwara in another Sikh's home and were gathering there every weekend.
3: Jessie (Malaysia), October 14, 2011, 9:55 PM.
Does anyone have the address of the gurdwara in Mauritus? My nephew is there for a week and wants to pay his respects there.
4: Gurcharan Singh Kulim (London, United Kingdom), November 11, 2011, 1:55 PM.
The gurdwara is situated near a Bala garage in Port Loius. I cannot recall the name of the place. It was just being built when we were there back in 1996. Locate a place called Sodnac, where a number of Sikh families are living, in the relatively newer residential part of Port Loius. It is opposite Candos Hospital and Hill.
5: Jagjit Singh Ahuja (India), April 25, 2012, 7:18 AM.
I had visited the gurdwara situated near Port Louis in 1995. It was just being completed. There were 6 Sikh families living in the relatively newer residential part of Port Louis, opposite the Candos Hospital. They had plans to build rooms for visitors. Please advise if they are now available for a week's visit.
6: Harmander Singh (London, England), April 28, 2012, 2:17 PM.
Dear all Sikhs, Punjabis and Indians of Mauritius: I have a humble request. Fauja Singh, the 101-year old British marathon runner and his support team of four plus others from the running club, 'Sikhs In The City', will be coming to Mauritius in mid-July, 2012 to take part in the family run (10km) and the full marathon (42.2km). We would like to make contact with the locals as it would help Fauja Singh to have his normal simple Punjabi diet - probably not available in the hotel we will be staying. Thanking you in advance. Please contact Harmander Singh, Fauja Singh's coach, at harmanders@btinternet.com or www.sikhinthecity.org
7: Arpna Kaur (Huddersfield, United kingdom), June 19, 2012, 6:35 AM.
Hi Harmander: Just read your message and very excited as my husband and I will be visiting Mauritius towards mid July. We will definitely try and make it to the marathon and meet all the members from the "Sikhs in the City" club :) If you have information/addresses of any gurdwaras in Mauritius, please post it on this site. Thanks.
8: Amrit (London, United Kingdom), March 30, 2013, 1:07 AM.
I am visiting Mauritius this July and am looking forward to visiting the Gurdwara in Mauritius. Does anybody know what the address is?
9: Salim Maudarbocus (The Vale, Fond du Sac, Mauritius ), October 06, 2013, 2:25 AM.
I am amazed with your beliefs, religion and way of living. Would like to convert to Sikhism as it pleases me. So please guide me by directing me to my wish and facilitate my goal and conversion.
10: Ousha (mauritius), April 26, 2015, 11:35 AM.
I like Sikhs.