Mauritius is a region where cultural diversity reigns as much in gastronomy and religion as in its population, which constitutes the island's entire heritage. Thanks to this cultural diversity, there are many traditional celebrations in Mauritius where each community is free to practice its beliefs freely. Villanovo introduces you to the various traditional festivals of the island.
The Divali festival is the national Hindu holiday, it is celebrated in honour of the goddess Luckshmi, the wife of the god Vishnu who takes human form and comes to earth to help men get rid of negativity.During all his travels,he is accompanied by his wife.
The festival is celebrated with the aim of keeping negativity out of the lives of the inhabitants, a way to start a new beginning. It is also called "The Festival of Lights", is celebrated in winter from October to November and is also the occasion to celebrate the arrival of summer in this part of the world. At dusk, the streets are lit by garlands of light, candles and all kinds of illuminations and then a festival takes place, this festival is the representation of the triumph of good over evil. On this special day, believers pray all day long and visit their friends and neighbours to offer them homemade pastries which include the essential "potato cake".
This celebration of the Tamil community has been taking place between December and January for 100 years now. Walking on fire represents several things: it is a ritual to purify oneself, an act of faith, a step towards spirituality or a thanksgiving when a wish has been granted. The ritual of walking on fire begins 10 days beforehand when believers begin Lent and eat only fruits and vegetables, sleep on the ground, take a vow of abstinence, and pray several times a day. On the day of the march, the believers begin their day with a bath and several prayers and then all gather in front of a temple. On the way to the temple, some carry a vase of offerings on their heads, others have their skin pierced with thin needles. All participants wear clothes of the same colour as Saffron, which is honoured throughout the ceremony as a symbol of faith. A 7-metre ember is placed at the end of which is a statue of the divinity and a saffron purification bath. The pure soul and faith of the believer allows them to cross the blaze without any pain or burning.
When you travel to Mauritius, you will discover an island where tolerance reigns and where various religions are practiced and respected. Moreover, public holidays are not according to the calendar of a single religion, for example, Eid Day, a Muslim celebration, is a public holiday on the island, as is All Saints' Day, which is a day on the Christian calendar. Mauritius' diversity is also reflected in the many religious buildings, all different: the island is home to Buddhist temples, churches and mosques. Each celebration like those mentioned above is celebrated in a friendly atmosphere and many of them promote tolerance and sharing towards people of different faiths.
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