Cultural Legacy of Girmitiyas in Mauritius
Dr. Ajeet Kumar Rai* & Vikas Kumar**
*Assistant Professor, SVP College, Bhabua
**Assistant Professor Sachhidanand College, Shahmal Khaira-Deo, Rohtas
Abstract
After the abolition of slavery system in Europe, a new system was developed in the form of new experiment to fulfill the demand of labourers in sugar colonies. In the year 1834 to 1920 around 20 million people were transported from India to different sugar colonies in the form of indentured labourers to fulfill the demand of their different needs. In the same process Mauritius received a sizable number of people from India, who settled there. This was done on a contract of 5 years but most of the people choose to settle at their deported countries. They started their normal life through preservation and conservation of their native cultures which were brought with themselves. Mauritius was the first country which received indentured labourers from India. Mauritius has become an unique example of preservation of cultures by indentured labourers. They still believe that they will be brought back by lord Hanumana as it was happened in Ramayana. There is Ganga talaab in Mauritius which is in the memory of holy river Ganga from India. These are the few examples from many which shows that how they have conserved their cultures even sometimes better than their native country. Many organisations have played a pivotal role in the preservation of cultures especially by Arya Samaj in Mauritius. At evening, after working the whole day they sat together and started singing their folk songs with jhal, manzira, tabla, dholak etc, in this way they celebrated their cultures from reaching to till now. They are Keen to preserve and conserve their cultures with the help of many organisations who are devoted for this work. My paper will analysis the details of contributions of such organisations especially by Arya Samaj in Mauritius.
Keywords
Migration, cultural legacy, girmitiyas, indentureship, slavery act, voyage, colonies, long journey etc.
