Ban on processions for two major Hindu festivals

Thaipoosam Cavadee is being celebrated this Tuesday 18 January by the Tamil community without public processions. Processions for another major Hindu festival, the Maha Shivaratree, have also been prohibited.

The Mauritius Tamil Temples Federation, through president Rouben Ramasawmy, explained that the festival is being celebrated under exceptional conditions on Tuesday, January 18, due to the pandemic, to prevent the spread of the virus.

Prayers in the temples around the island start at 3 a.m. instead of 4 or 5 a.m. in previous years. Tamil devotees will have access to temples in groups of 10 people for ten minutes only.

Similar restrictions are being pressed for by authorities with regard to the other major Hindu festival, Maha Shivaratree, to be celebrated on March 1.

Prime Minister Pravind Jugnauth has urged socio-cultural associations to help prevent mass gatherings in Grand-Bassin in order to avoid the spread of COVID-19.

Maha Shivaratree is an annual pilgrimage of devotees of Shiva. Hundreds of thousands of participants gather sacred water from the Grand Bassin lake to dispense as offerings in their local Shiva shrines.

NEWSMORIS wishes all Mauritians of Tamil faith a pious Thaipoosam Cavadee.