Prime Minister Narendra Modi arrived in Mauricio on Tuesday for a two -day visit, marking a return to a country he visited for the first time 27 years ago. His arrival was received with a warm welcome from the Indian diaspora, including a traditional cultural performance of Bihari known as Geet Gawai.
“Deeply moved by the warm welcome of the Indian community in Mauricio. His strong connection with the inheritance, culture and Indian values is really inspiring. This history of history and heart continues to thrive,” said Prime Minister Modi.
A connection rooted in history
Known as ‘Mini India’ due to its large population of Indian origin, its ties with the nation of the island date back to October 1998, when he visited as National Secretary of the BJP to go to the International Conference of Ramayana in Moka.
In a publication about X, Modi Archive Many documenting his past commitments, he shared images of the 1998 visit, which shows Prime Minister Narendra Modi interacting with the Maurites leaders and the local community.
“When Narendra Modi visited ‘Mini India’ in 1998 – Modi in Mauricio”
During his visit, he met the key Maurites leaders, including the then president Cassam Uteem, Prime Minister Navinchandra Ramgoolam and the opposition leader Sir Anerood playouth. He also met Paul Raymond Bedrenger, who later became Prime Minister.
The influence of Mahatma Gandhi in Mauricio
The visit of Prime Minister Modi in 1998 also reinforced his understanding of the influence of Mahatma Gandhi in Mauricio. In an event Gandhi Jayanti, witnessed how deeply the Maurician people venerated the Mahatma and how his independence movement was inspired by India’s own struggle against the colonial government.
In a speech in the World Building of the Hindi Secretariat in 2015, Prime Minister Modi recalled how the newspaper ‘Hindustani’, published in three languages: Gujarati, Hindi and English, became a unifying force in Mauricio.
“On October 2 it is still celebrated in Mauricio. The type of celebration they have, even we do not have. There is a tremendous sense of belonging,” said Prime Minister Modi, remembering his experience.
Spiritual and cultural bond
During his 1998 visit, Prime Minister Modi also visited the Sacred Ganges Talao, a crater lake venerated by Hindus in Mauricio. He pointed out how the Mauritanians had poured water from Ganges to the Lake, deepening its spiritual meaning.
Speaking in the Divas Pravasi Bharatiya in 2015, Prime Minister Modi said: “If there is a place that unites all of Mauricio, it is Sagar Ganga … although the amount of water can be small, the emotions and devotion associated with it have given him a different dimension.”
Seventeen years later, in 2015, Prime Minister Modi returned to Ganga Talao, offering flowers to Maa Ganga once more.
Mauricio’s tribute to Indian culture
Such is the deeply rooted connection between the two nations that on January 22, 2024, when the consecration of the RAM temple took place in Ayodhya, the Mauricio government gave a special permit to the Hindu public servants to attend the sentences.
Hindus comprise about 48% of Mauricio’s population, and the island has long maintained narrow cultural and historical ties with India.
The visit of the Prime Minister Modi reaffirms the deeply rooted link of India with Mauricio, which extends beyond diplomacy to shared heritage, history and emotions.