180th Anniversary of the Arrival of Indentured Labourers: Mauritius
poising to be a hub of the Indian Diaspora
Written by Sunil Gopal
Mauritius will commemorate the “180th Anniversary of the Arrival of Indentured
Labourers” this Sunday (2 November 2014). To mark this historic event, several
international and regional activities are being organised throughout the island.
The major ones are: an International (Regional) Hindi Conference (29 October to
1 November 2014); an International Bhojpuri Conference (30-31 October 2014); an
International Bhojpuri Festival –“Bhojpuri Mahotsaw on 1 November 2014; the
commemorative ceremony on 2 November 2014 and an International Conference on
Indenture Labour Route (3 to 5 November 2014).
During this period, Mauritius is poising itself as the hub of the Indian
Diaspora. Eminent personalities, dignitaries, scholars, academics and other
participants from India, and other Asian countries, African countries,
Caribbean, Pacific and European countries are participating and attending these
various activities.
International Hindi Conference 2014, Mauritius
Resolution No. VIII of the 9th World Hindi Conference held in Johannesburg,
South Africa in September 2012 encourages the organisation of “Thematic Regional
Hindi Conferences in different countries in the interim period between the World
Hindi Conferences with the objective to address the problems faced in teaching
and promotion of Hindi in the respective regions.” The World Hindi Secretariat
(WHS), a joint set-up of Government of India and Government of Mauritius with a
mandate to promote Hindi as an international language also has amongst its main
functions the organization of international conferences, seminars, group
discussions in the medium of Hindi language.
In light of the above, the Government of India (High Commission of India) has
called upon the Government of Mauritius, the WHS and prominent Mauritian
organisations to be key partners in the organisation an International (Regional)
Hindi Conference in Mauritius. The theme for this Conference is: “Hindi
teaching/propagation in the Diaspora: the way towards International
cooperation.” The aim of the Conference is to generate greater coordination and
collaboration between organisations engaged in teaching/propagation of Hindi
among the Hindi Diaspora (both indenture and new) through deeper understanding
of the overall status of Hindi in respective countries and identifying possible
areas of collaborative action.
The Conference started with the inauguration on 29 October 2014 at 18.30 hrs at
the Indira Gandhi Centre for Indian Culture (IGCIC), Phoenix. Two full days of
plenary sessions were scheduled, the first one was held yesterday Thursday 30
October 2014 while the second one is taking place today, Friday 31st October
2014 at the Mahatma Gandhi Institute (MGI), where representatives of various
countries have been invited to present their scholarly papers.
A one-day round table discussion will follow on 1st November 2014 which will sum
up the outcome of the deliberations with its recommendations/resolutions to be
forwarded for consideration to the next World Hindi Conference. Twenty delegates
of the Hindi Diaspora countries are participating in the conference along with
100 academics and administrators of various Hindi-related sectors in Mauritius.
International Bhojpuri Mahotsaw
The kick-off of the International Bhojpuri Mahotsaw was given on Thursday (30
October at 17.00 hrs at the auditorium of the Mahatma Gandhi Institute), by the
President of the Republic of Mauritius H.E Mr Rajkeswur Purryag, GCSK, GOSK, in
the presence of the Hon. Mookhesswur Choonee, Minister of Arts and Culture and
the High Commissioner of India Shri Anup K Mudgal.al.
The Bhojpuri Mahotsaw started with the Antarastriya Bhojpuri Sahitya Sammellan,
with a pre conference session on 30 October itself. A whole day session is
scheduled on 31 October from 9.00 to 5 p.m. The main theme of the Sammellan
focuses on the rich thousand year old literary and oral literature of Bhojpuri.
Two important subthemes are (a) Bhojpuri and/in the Media including the film
world, (b) Bhojpuri and Youth. Forty solid abstracts have been received from
India, the Diaspora countries including Mauritius and around 80 delegates are
expected.
The Bhojpuri Sahitya Sammellan will be followed on 31 October by a Kavi
Sammellan – Poets’ Gathering involving all poets and Literateurs from
Hindi-Bhojpuri conferences. This Sahitya Sammellan is being organised by the
Bhojpuri Speaking Union with the collaboration of the Ministry of Arts and
Culture and the Mahatma Gandhi Institute. A pre-conference session was held on
30 October 2014 as from 10.00 a.m. The inaugural session comprised of a cultural
programme by local artists and the renowned top most Bhojpuri folk artist Malini
Awasthi who will also present a paper at the conference.
Several books have been launched within the inaugural session, between 5 pm and
7.30 p.m. on Thursday (30 October, 2014) at the Auditorium of the Mahatma Gandhi
Institute (MGI). The books that were launched are Chulchuli– a short story in
Bhojpuri by Mr Geerjanand Dursun by the Bhojpuri Speaking Union and Bhojpuri
Sikha – a manual for teachers in baithkas and evening schools to facilitate the
learning of Bhojpuri in a non formal schools accompanied by Multimedia. A
Website of the Bhojpuri Speaking Union was also launched. A souvenir magazine of
the Bhojpuri Speaking Union was also launched on the same occasion.
Cultural items that were presented within the inaugural session from 5.00 to
7.30 p.m. on 30 October at the Auditorium, MGI, were as follows: children show
cased illustrations from Bhojpuri Sikha book; Bhojpuri music was presented in a
modern rendering; Bhojpuri singing – Gamat style of singing with performance by
Vishnu Hurry; Bhojpuri children’s games presented by Mrs Raveeta Salick
Peetumber’s students of Rasika Dance Academy; Bhojpuri Speaking Union Geet Gawai
School headed by Mrs Reeta Poonuth; Performance of students – Bhojpuri jhumar
and performance by Malini Awasthi – She was accompanied by music teachers of
IGCIC.
The conference proper will be held on Friday, 31 October at the Subramania
Bharati Lecture Theatre from 9.00 a.m to 17.00 hrs. There will be three parallel
sessions at the Subramania Bharati Lecture Theatre, at the Conference Room and
at the Centre for Mauritian Studies. The Glories of Bihar Art Exhibition will be
held at the Rabindranath Tagore Institute (RTI) at Ilot, D’Epinay, as from 3rd
November 2014. This activity is a joint collaboration between the Bhojpuri
Speaking Union under the aegis of the Ministry of Arts and Culture and the
Rabindranath Tagore Institute. The President of the Republic H.E Mr Rajkeswur
Purryag, GCSK, GOSK will inaugurate the exhibition on 3 November at 17hrs, in
the presence of Hon. Mookhesswur Choonee, Minister of Arts and Culture and other
dignitaries. Some 22 renowned Mauritian artists are exposing their works.
Another segment of the exhibition showcases the Glories of Bihar, past, medieval
and present through 50 tableaux in the simulation of the Ashokan Pillars of
ancient Bihar. This project has been conceptualised and researched by Dr Sarita
Boodhoo, in collaboration with Mrs Mala Chummun-Ramyead and Mr.Clarel Bloquet,
artists. The exhibition will remain open to the public from 4th to 14th November
at the RTI. It is organized by the Bhojpuri Speaking Union under the aegis of
the Ministry of Arts and Culture and in collaboration with the MGI/RTI.
Link:
http://www.defimedia.info/news-sunday/nos-news/item/62406-180th-anniversary-of-the-arrival-of-indentured-labourers-mauritius-poising-to-be-a-hub-of-the-indian-diaspora.html
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