Gaṅgā Talāo (Mauritius) and the Murugan temples of Fiji

Hindu pilgrimage in the Indian Ocean and the Pacific

Descendants of Indian indentured workers keep vibrant temple traditions in Mauritius and Fiji. In Mauritius, Gaṅgā Talāo (Grand Bassin), a crater lake in the hills, is the island’s most sacred Hindu site. At Mahāśivarātri hundreds of thousands walk there from across the island, carrying decorated kāṃvaḍs, to offer its water to Śiva. Thaipusam kāvaḍi processions to Murugan temples are also major events.

In Fiji, the Sri Siva Subramaniya temple in Nadi, built in the South Indian style, is one of the largest Hindu temples in the South Pacific.

A Mauritian tradition says that as Śiva flew over the earth carrying the Gaṅgā on his head, a few drops fell into this crater lake, making it a part of the holy river. Pilgrims therefore call it Gaṅgā Talāo, “the lake of the Gaṅgā”.

Mauritius · Fiji · Śiva · Murugan · Mahāśivarātri · Thaipusam

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