Mauritius Festivals

Welcome to Mauritius Festivals

The cultural variety that greets you in Mauritius is overwhelming and you are most welcome to come and be a part of the delightful culture and religious festivals that are the lifeblood of this tiny and picturesque island that has deep lagoons and attractive creeks that are fringed with coconut palms and other dense tropical vegetation.
Indeed, the rich cultural diversity of the people has become the island's pride: its Indian, Chinese, Creole, African, European and Malagasy populations live together in perfect harmony, respecting one another's traditions and remaining true to their own.

The Mauritians are a friendly, hospitable people who believe that the magical ingredients that makes the island nation's destination stand out from all of the rest is the refinement and courtesy of its people which many a foreign visitor will recall with great fondness. The lush tropical setting, the gracious hospitality of its people, the variety of charming customs, the gentle community of various religions, the ease of official arrangements, all combine to make Mauritius an ideal setting for an unforgettably pleasurable tourism experience.

The multi-ethnic characteristics of Mauritius make it a multi-lingual country with ethnic languages such as Hindi, Tamil, Marathi, Urdu, Mandarin and Cantonese being commonly used.

But the real lingua franca of the island is Creole. The Creole language emerged as a result of interaction between French settlers and African slaves. The use of the Creole language transcends all ethnic, religious and class barriers. Creole does not have a definite written form, as mostly English or French are the languages of choice for education, media, government, law and business.

New Year	January 1st	?
Yaum un Nabi	January	Day of death of prophet Mohammed.
Cavadi	January / February	Bodies are pierced with needles, tongues and cheeks with pins, devotees in a trance carry the ?Cavadi? on their shoulders as a penitence.
Spring Festival	February	The Chinese New Year is celebrated each year on a different date, owing to the differences between the lunar and the solar calendars.
Eid-Ul-Fitr*	February	The Id-El-Fitr festival signals the end of the Ramadan - the fasting period for Muslim people.
Maha Shivaratree*	February	Hindus make a pilgrimage to the sacred water of Grand Bassin
Holi	March	A festival of joy during which men and women throw coloured water and powder on each other and wish one another good luck.
Independence Day	12 March	Republic Day
Ougadi	March	Ougadi is the Telugu New Year.
Ganesh Chaturthi	August / September	Ganesh Chaturthi is celebrated on the 4th day of the lunar month of August/September by Hindus in honour of the birth of Ganesha, God of wisdom.
Father Laval	September	Mauritians of all faiths walk or drive towards the tomb of the Blessed Jacques D鳩r頌aval, the ?Apostle of the Black People? at Ste-Croix, Port-Louis.
Divali	September / October	The Festival of Lights is celebrated in a spirit of pure joy, in the month of October or November. Small clay lamps line the walls, balconies and yards.
All Saints' Day	November	?
Ganga Asnan	November	Hindus go to the sea to take a holy bath
Teemeedee	December	Highlight of this Hindu feast is the run over glowing coals.