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|image =
|image =
|population  = A majority of [[Indo-Mauritian]]s
|population  = A majority (75-80%)  of [[Indo-Mauritian]]s
|popplace = [[Port Louis]], [[Saint Pierre, Mauritius|Saint Pierre]], [[Triolet, Mauritius|Triolet]], [[Vacoas]], [[Rose-Hill|Rose Hill]]
|popplace = [[Port Louis]], [[Saint Pierre, Mauritius|Saint Pierre]], [[Triolet, Mauritius|Triolet]], [[Vacoas]], [[Rose-Hill|Rose Hill]]
|langs    = [[Mauritian Creole|Creole]], [[French language|French]], [[Bhojpuri language|Bhojpuri]], [[English language|English]]
|langs    = [[Mauritian Creole|Creole]], [[French language|French]], [[Bhojpuri]], [[English language|English]]
|rels    = [[Hinduism]], [[Islam]], [[Christianity]]
|rels    = [[Hinduism]], [[Islam]], [[Christianity]]
|related-c  = [[Bhojpuri people]], [[Awadhi people]], [[Non-resident Indian and person of Indian origin|Indian diaspora]], [[Indo-Mauritian]], [[Indian South African|Indo-South African]], [[Indo-Surinamese]], [[Indo-Guyanese]], [[Indo-Trinidadian]], [[Indians in Fiji|Indo-Fijian]]
|related-c  = [[Bhojpuri people]], [[Awadhi people]], [[Non-resident Indian and person of Indian origin|Indian diaspora]], [[Indo-Mauritian]], [[Indian South African|Indo-South African]], [[Indo-Surinamese]], [[Indo-Guyanese]], [[Indo-Trinidadian]], [[Indo-Fijian]]
}}
}}


'''Bihari Mauritians''' are the descendants of mainly [[Bhojpuri people|Bhojpuri]] and some [[Awadhi]] speaking migrants to [[Mauritius]]. A majority of [[Indo-Mauritian]]s are of Bihari descent, and the majority of Mauritians are Indo-Mauritian (the Hindus:  [[Bhumihar]], [[Vaishya]], [[Brahmin]], [[Rajput]], [[Koeri]], [[Yadav]], [[Kurmi]], Banias, and Kayastha castes are well represented). All but one [[Prime Minister of Mauritius|Mauritian prime ministers]] have been of Bihari descent.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://indianexpress.com/article/express-sunday-eye/never-leave-home-finding-india-in-mauritius-5183525/|title=Never leave home: Finding a slice of India in Mauritius|website=Indian Express|accessdate=19 March 2021}} </ref><ref>[http://pinkpigeonpress.com/Across-the-Kalapani-is%20a-celebration-of-the-Bihari-diaspora.html The Indian Diaspora] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110715084048/http://pinkpigeonpress.com/Across-the-Kalapani-is%20a-celebration-of-the-Bihari-diaspora.html |date=2011-07-15 }}</ref><ref name="Bates Crispin">{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=_F7NCwAAQBAJ&pg=PA14&dq=koeri+in+Mauritius|title=Community, Empire and Migration: South Asians in Diaspora|first=Crispin|last=Bates|publisher=Springer|page=14|year= 2016|isbn=978-0333977293|access-date=2020-07-01}}</ref>
'''Bihari Mauritians''' are the descendants of mainly [[Bhojpuri people|Bhojpuri]] and some [[Awadhi]] speaking migrants to [[Mauritius]]. A majority of [[Indo-Mauritian]]s are of Bihari descent, and the majority of Mauritians are Indo-Mauritian (the Hindus:  [[Bhumihar]], [[Vaishya]], [[Brahmin]], [[Rajput]], [[Koeri]], [[Chamar]], [[Yadav]], [[Kurmi]], Banias, and Kayastha castes are well represented). All but one [[Prime Minister of Mauritius|Mauritian prime ministers]] have been of Bihari descent.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://indianexpress.com/article/express-sunday-eye/never-leave-home-finding-india-in-mauritius-5183525/|title=Never leave home: Finding a slice of India in Mauritius|website=Indian Express|accessdate=19 March 2021}} </ref><ref>[http://pinkpigeonpress.com/Across-the-Kalapani-is%20a-celebration-of-the-Bihari-diaspora.html The Indian Diaspora] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110715084048/http://pinkpigeonpress.com/Across-the-Kalapani-is%20a-celebration-of-the-Bihari-diaspora.html |date=2011-07-15 }}</ref><ref name="Bates Crispin">{{cite book |last=Bates |first=Crispin |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=_F7NCwAAQBAJ&pg=PA14&dq=koeri+in+Mauritius |title=Community, Empire and Migration: South Asians in Diaspora |publisher=Springer |year=2016 |isbn=978-0333977293 |page=14 |access-date=2020-07-01}}Some 'castes' in Mauritius in particular are quite unrecognizable from a subcontinental perspective, and may incorporate mutually antagonistic castes from an Indian setting into a single group. A 'Rajput' in Mauritius is of a sudra caste, the title having been usurped by this group in the nineteenth century. The terms Hindu and 'Indien' refer exclusively to north Indian Hindus. Migrants from Tamilnad identify their religious group as Tamil, not Hindu, and minority groups such as 'Telugus' and 'Marathis' are preoccupied with maintaining regional endogamy rather than with caste distinctions. Gujaratis are also seen as a separate community, from a trading rather than an indenture background, and maintain a social distance from descendants of 'coolies'. The former Brahmin elite are referred to as the Maraz and together with the former Rajputs and other Kshatriyas, now called 'Babujis', enjoy the prestige conferred by high-caste status, whilst politically they complain of marginalization. </ref>
The community includes a [[Hinduism|Hindu]] majority, followed by [[Muslims]] ([[Sunni Islam]]) while a minority practices Christianity. About 60 percent of the 1.2 million population of Mauritius is of Indian origin, many them from Bihar, with [[Bhojpuri language|Bhojpuri]] as their mother tongue.
The community includes a [[Hinduism|Hindu]] majority, followed by [[Muslims]] ([[Sunni Islam]]) while a minority practices Christianity. About 60 percent of the 1.2 million population of Mauritius is of Indian origin, many them from Bihar, with [[Bhojpuri]] as their former mother tongue.


Bihari Mauritians were mainly from the [[Gaya, India|Gaya]], [[Chhapra]], Bhojpur and Gopalganj and East and West Champaran districts. In those early days of Migration, the labourers referred Mauritius as 'Marich'.
Bihari Mauritians were mainly from the [[Gaya, India|Gaya]], [[Chhapra]], Bhojpur and Gopalganj and East and West Champaran districts. In those early days of Migration, the labourers referred Mauritius as 'Marich'.
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==Social stratification==
==Social stratification==
Though the island is divided on ethnic and religious grounds, '[[Hindu]]' Mauritians follow a number of original custom and tradition, quite different from those seen in the Indian subcontinent. Some castes in 'Mauritius' in particular are quite unrecognizable from a subcontinental perspective, and may incorporate mutually antagonistic castes from Indian setting into a single group.The title '[[Rajput]]' is primarily of [[Shudra]] castes in Mauritius , which was usurped by this group in nineteenth century.The 'vaish' are the largest and most influential caste group on the island , in which Koeris, Kurmi, Yadav, Teli, Bania etc are included.The former [[Brahmin]] elites together with former [[Kshatriya]] are called 'Babuji' and enjoy prestige conferred by high caste status , though politically they are marginalized and their place has been taken by the  castes who identify themselves as 'vaish'.<ref name="Bates Crispin"/>
Though the island is divided on ethnic and religious grounds, '[[Hindu]]' Mauritians follow a number of original custom and tradition, quite different from those seen in the Indian subcontinent. Some castes in 'Mauritius' in particular are quite unrecognizable from a subcontinental perspective, and may incorporate mutually antagonistic castes from Indian setting into a single group. The '''"title"''' Rajput is used primarily by [[Shudra]] castes in Mauritius, which was usurped by this group in nineteenth century. The 'vaish' are the largest and most influential caste group on the island, in which Koeris, Kurmi, Yadav, Teli, Bania etc. are included.The former [[Brahmin]] elites together with former Rajputs and other [[Kshatriya]]s are called 'Babuji' and enjoy prestige conferred by high caste status , though politically they are marginalized and their place has been taken by the  castes who identify themselves as 'vaish'.<ref name="Bates Crispin"/>


==References==
==References==

Revision as of 02:17, 25 June 2022

Bihari Mauritians
Total population
A majority (75-80%) of Indo-Mauritians
Regions with significant populations
Port Louis, Saint Pierre, Triolet, Vacoas, Rose Hill
Languages
Creole, French, Bhojpuri, English
Religion
Hinduism, Islam, Christianity
Related ethnic groups
Bhojpuri people, Awadhi people, Indian diaspora, Indo-Mauritian, Indo-South African, Indo-Surinamese, Indo-Guyanese, Indo-Trinidadian, Indo-Fijian

Bihari Mauritians are the descendants of mainly Bhojpuri and some Awadhi speaking migrants to Mauritius. A majority of Indo-Mauritians are of Bihari descent, and the majority of Mauritians are Indo-Mauritian (the Hindus: Bhumihar, Vaishya, Brahmin, Rajput, Koeri, Chamar, Yadav, Kurmi, Banias, and Kayastha castes are well represented). All but one Mauritian prime ministers have been of Bihari descent.[1][2][3] The community includes a Hindu majority, followed by Muslims (Sunni Islam) while a minority practices Christianity. About 60 percent of the 1.2 million population of Mauritius is of Indian origin, many them from Bihar, with Bhojpuri as their former mother tongue.

Bihari Mauritians were mainly from the Gaya, Chhapra, Bhojpur and Gopalganj and East and West Champaran districts. In those early days of Migration, the labourers referred Mauritius as 'Marich'.

Amitav Ghosh wrote an acclaimed novel set in this period, based on extensive research, called the 'Sea of Poppies'. This fictional account tells of a ship, called 'The Ibis', which brought the Bihari bonded labourers to Mauritius. The main characters who embark on the ship include a widow saved from enforced Sati by a man of lower caste, the daughter of a famous French botanist and a former aristocrat sentenced to penal transportation after going bankrupt. It also describes the devastation of the farming community in the region by the monopolistic British East India Company. According to the book, many small land owners were forced to cultivate poppies to produce the opium that was trafficked to China. This created a supply of hungry and impoverished Bihari migrants who were desperate enough to brave the hellish journey to Mauritius and even more distant colonies of the empire.

Social stratification

Though the island is divided on ethnic and religious grounds, 'Hindu' Mauritians follow a number of original custom and tradition, quite different from those seen in the Indian subcontinent. Some castes in 'Mauritius' in particular are quite unrecognizable from a subcontinental perspective, and may incorporate mutually antagonistic castes from Indian setting into a single group. The "title" Rajput is used primarily by Shudra castes in Mauritius, which was usurped by this group in nineteenth century. The 'vaish' are the largest and most influential caste group on the island, in which Koeris, Kurmi, Yadav, Teli, Bania etc. are included.The former Brahmin elites together with former Rajputs and other Kshatriyas are called 'Babuji' and enjoy prestige conferred by high caste status , though politically they are marginalized and their place has been taken by the castes who identify themselves as 'vaish'.[3]

References

  1. "Never leave home: Finding a slice of India in Mauritius". Indian Express. Retrieved 19 March 2021.
  2. The Indian Diaspora Archived 2011-07-15 at the Wayback Machine
  3. 3.0 3.1 Bates, Crispin (2016). Community, Empire and Migration: South Asians in Diaspora. Springer. p. 14. ISBN 978-0333977293. Retrieved 2020-07-01.Some 'castes' in Mauritius in particular are quite unrecognizable from a subcontinental perspective, and may incorporate mutually antagonistic castes from an Indian setting into a single group. A 'Rajput' in Mauritius is of a sudra caste, the title having been usurped by this group in the nineteenth century. The terms Hindu and 'Indien' refer exclusively to north Indian Hindus. Migrants from Tamilnad identify their religious group as Tamil, not Hindu, and minority groups such as 'Telugus' and 'Marathis' are preoccupied with maintaining regional endogamy rather than with caste distinctions. Gujaratis are also seen as a separate community, from a trading rather than an indenture background, and maintain a social distance from descendants of 'coolies'. The former Brahmin elite are referred to as the Maraz and together with the former Rajputs and other Kshatriyas, now called 'Babujis', enjoy the prestige conferred by high-caste status, whilst politically they complain of marginalization.