MAURITIUS - THE INDIAN OCEAN ISLAND COUNTRY WHERE INDIAN CULTURE IS OF PARAMOUNT IMPORTANCE

BY SUBRY GOVENDER THE INDIAN OCEAN ISLAND COUNTRY OF MAURITIUS IS ANOTHER COUNTRY WHERE INDIANS WERE TAKEN THERE AS INDENTURED LABOURERS BY THE BRITISH TO WORK ON THE SUGAR PLANTATIONS. MAURITIUS IS ONE OF SEVERAL COUNTRIES AROUND THE WORLD WHERE FORMER INDENTURED LABOURERS HAD TRAVELLED FROM ALL PARTS OF INDIA TO SEEK A NEW FUTURE FOR THEMSELVES. THE OTHER COUNTRIES INCLUDE FIJI, MALAYSIA, SEYCHELLES, REUNION, SOUTH AFRICA, TRINIDAD AND TOBAGO, GUYANA, AND SURINAME. DURING THE PRAVASI BHARATHI CONFERENCE IN CHENNAI IN JANUARY 2009, I HAD THE OPPORTUNITY OF TALKING TO JOURNALISTS FROM MOST OF THESE COUNTRIES ABOUT THE STATE OF AFFAIRS IN THEIR COUNTRIES. ONE OF THE PEOPLE I SPOKE TO WAS VETERAN JOURNALIST AND AUTHOR, ANAND MALOO, WHOSE GREAT-GRAND-PARENTS WERE TAKEN TO MAURITIUS NEARLY 200 YEARS AGO AS CANE CUTTERS. THIS IS THE RADIO FEATURE I PRODUCED ON MAURITIUS AFTER SPEAKING TO MR MALOO.