Mauritian Hinduism and Globalisation

Suzanne Chazan-Gillig is an anthropologist and was formerly a senior researcher and consultant at Institute Research and Development (IRD), France. She earned a doctorate in anthropology from the University of Paris V. She has written several books in French and has carried out extensive fieldwork in Madagascar. Her book on Sakalava Society in Madagascar was published in 1991. She has extensively published her research papers in refereed journals in both English and French. She has also conducted empirical research in Mauritius on the topic of migrations, exchange and industrialisation in the context of globalisation on markets. Since 2002 she has been studying the social changes on the west coast of Madagascar.Pavitranand Ramhota is Associate Professor and Head of Department of Diaspora and Transnational Studies at the Rabindranath Tagore Institute, Mauritius. He has been UNICEF Consultant on “Women and Children in Mauritius” and UNESCO Consultant on the cultural heritage of Indian immigrants in Mauritius. He obtained a PhD in social anthropology with distinction from the Institut National des Langues et Civilisations Orientales (Inalco), Paris. He has contributed several articles in refereed journals, and has organised many international seminars and conferences. He is currently working on Indian migration in the occidental Indian Ocean with a perspective of comparative forms of Hinduism and the world of capitalism.

“This book deals with a complex subject, that of popular Hinduism in Mauritius, whose anthropological interest is undeniable, as also economic, geographical and political. Throughout the pages, the authors gradually bring us, from the inside, with details and meticulousness, into the world of Mauritian Hinduism. In addition to its contribution to the constitution of the Mauritian heritage, through its many valuable ethnographic descriptions, this research poses an additional milestone in the understanding of the dynamics of popular Hinduism cults in Mauritius. It contributes not only to the knowledge of contemporary Hinduism but also to that of the practices developed by its followers and the types of relationships that they maintain not only with their deities but also with their fellows. Combining history, religion, politics and economics, the investigations carried out here will prove to be invaluable in the future. I highly recommend it to the public interested in understanding Hinduism outside India, Mauritius (its history and its local dynamics) and Creole societies in general.” Christian Ghasarian, Professor of Ethnology, University of Neuchâtel, Switzerland “A brilliant and intricate ethnography that captures the intersections between religion, language, ethnicity and other sociabilities that crisscross the trajectory of the global economic and financial networks. The book vividly presents the role of various religious cults that participated and facilitated the growth of the Mauritian plantation economy and its polity. The postcolonial historiography captures the minute cultural details of the continuity from one part of the subcontinent to the Island state. The fascinating history of the ‘Kalmais’ to sugarcane plantation to the genesis of cooperative structures and market economy, all in a lucid and enthralling way. A must read for all scholars of social sciences and humanities.” Vishal G. Jadhav, Associate Professor of Sociology, Tilak Maharashtra Vidyapeeth, Pune, India

• List of Illustrations Preface Acknowledgements Introduction 1 The cult of Baharia Puja in Camp de Masque Pavé at the kalimai of Petite Cabanne 2 The Amourou Puja cult of Camp de Masque 3 The transformation of popular cults on crown lands 4 Kalimai temples and community strategies: The emergence of Hanuman 5 The New Deal: Religious and political transformation 6 Kalimai temple transformations and changes in rituals Conclusion Glossary Bibliography Index