Odias in Mauritius seek stronger ties with state | Bhubaneswar News
Bhubaneswar: Mauritius has send a delegation of over 300 representatives to the Pravasi Bharatiya Divas slated to begin here on Wednesday, underscoring its historical ties with India.
Odia Anusthana, a cultural organisation that represents Mauritians of Odia descent, expressed their commitment to reviving Odia traditions and culture and shared plans to build a Jagannath temple in Mauritius as a symbol of cultural restoration.
Ahead of the convention, the community on Tuesday issued an appeal to the Odisha govt, led by chief minister Mohan Majhi, to support their efforts in reconnecting with their ancestral roots and reviving their lost Odia culture.
“Between 1842 and 1871, approximately 3,116 Odias emigrated to Mauritius. However, over the centuries, their descendants lost touch with their language, traditions and cultural practices. We, the Mauritians of Odia ancestry, are proud of our ancestors’ land and wish, like other descendants from UP and Bihar, to be able to look for our Odia roots and families and contribute to the development of our ancestral villages,” said Ramroop Jugurnauth, secretary of Odia Anusthana.
Highlighting the lack of awareness about the presence and struggles of Odia indentured labourers and their descendants in Mauritius, the community expressed their wish to reconnect with their past. “We want to fill all gaps and add the missing pages of Odia presence in Mauritius to our colonial history. Odia Anusthana wishes to act as the ambassador of Odia culture in Mauritius, and we are planning to build a Jagannath temple. We request CM Mohan Majhi to consider our plea and extend support by helping us to connect with our past,” Jugurnauth said.
Odias living in Mauritius expressed their interest in fostering new partnerships in business, innovation and cultural exchange, equally strengthening Odisha’s economy. “With the theme of the 18th Pravasi Bharatiya Divas resonating with the vision of ‘Ek Bharat, Shreshtha Bharat’, the Odia Anusthana expressed hope for meaningful collaborations and appealed to delegates to explore Odisha’s rich cultural heritage, referred to as India’s best-kept secret,” the organisation said in a statement.
Odia Anusthana, a cultural organisation that represents Mauritians of Odia descent, expressed their commitment to reviving Odia traditions and culture and shared plans to build a Jagannath temple in Mauritius as a symbol of cultural restoration.
Ahead of the convention, the community on Tuesday issued an appeal to the Odisha govt, led by chief minister Mohan Majhi, to support their efforts in reconnecting with their ancestral roots and reviving their lost Odia culture.
“Between 1842 and 1871, approximately 3,116 Odias emigrated to Mauritius. However, over the centuries, their descendants lost touch with their language, traditions and cultural practices. We, the Mauritians of Odia ancestry, are proud of our ancestors’ land and wish, like other descendants from UP and Bihar, to be able to look for our Odia roots and families and contribute to the development of our ancestral villages,” said Ramroop Jugurnauth, secretary of Odia Anusthana.
Highlighting the lack of awareness about the presence and struggles of Odia indentured labourers and their descendants in Mauritius, the community expressed their wish to reconnect with their past. “We want to fill all gaps and add the missing pages of Odia presence in Mauritius to our colonial history. Odia Anusthana wishes to act as the ambassador of Odia culture in Mauritius, and we are planning to build a Jagannath temple. We request CM Mohan Majhi to consider our plea and extend support by helping us to connect with our past,” Jugurnauth said.
Odias living in Mauritius expressed their interest in fostering new partnerships in business, innovation and cultural exchange, equally strengthening Odisha’s economy. “With the theme of the 18th Pravasi Bharatiya Divas resonating with the vision of ‘Ek Bharat, Shreshtha Bharat’, the Odia Anusthana expressed hope for meaningful collaborations and appealed to delegates to explore Odisha’s rich cultural heritage, referred to as India’s best-kept secret,” the organisation said in a statement.
