A party feeling and a show of colourful saris could be seen at the Ganesh Chathurti Festival.  The pious atmosphere remained in tact.

An animated procession fills the main streets of Flacq, an important town on the east coast.  The crowd shines with the lively colours of the saris, so proudly worn for this occasion.  Men are dressed in ‘kurtas’, long shirts that go down to the knees and trousers called ‘dhoti’.  This joyous group of people is celebrating Ganesh Chathurti, one of the most important festivals held in Mauritius, especially for the Hindus.

At the top of the procession, distinctive silhouettes can be seen.  There are decorated statues of the god Ganesh that are easily recognisable thanks to their elephant heads.  The figurines have golden headdresses, bright orange material around their bodies and are covered by flower-made necklaces.  Surrounded by fruit and flowers given as offerings, they sit enthroned on small stretchers carried by one or two bearers.

The smell of incense and the singing voices of the believers fill the air.  Cars give way to the procession that moves along at a dancing pace, headed for the Mare d’Australia.

The ritual ends with the immersion of the statues.  Men step into the water, bearing, like babies, the effigies and the offerings, in their arms.  “Glory be to the God Ganesh”, they cry as they let go of the statues. 

This display can be seen across the island, wherever there is a large pond.  One of the most famous and popular settings is Grand Bassin, which can be found inland to the south of the island.