The unusual traffic jam, the only week when absences don’t count, the bajas you freely get on the road… does it ring a bell? Maha Shivaratri. It’s one of the most auspicious weeks for Hindus, and you’ll see many of them making their way to Grand Bassin.
The origins of the festival are diverse, but here’s the version my mum told me when I was little. During the churning of the ocean, a deadly poison emerged. To save the world, Lord Shiva drank it and held it in His throat, which turned blue. Maha Shivaratri is observed to thank Lord Shiva for this act of protection. It literally means the Great Night of Shiva.
So how do we celebrate it? Pilgrims walk to Grand Bassin, believed to contain sacred drops of water from the Ganges. They offer this holy water to Lord Shiva in a ritual called abhishek, as an expression of gratitude for the blessings received throughout life.
If you had asked younger me what I loved most about this festival, I would’ve said the ti puri I got to eat on the way out of Grand Bassin. But now, what I appreciate most is how united it makes us. I’ve rarely seen Mauritians gather with such warmth and solidarity.
Regardless of faith, people offer food and refreshments to pilgrims walking to Grand Bassin (and even to those driving, thank you!). It’s also one of the rare moments when Mauritians don’t honk frantically or swear during traffic jams. That alone feels like a miracle.
Side note: I find it beautiful how our cultural festivals are flowing one after another this year: Thaipoosam Cavadee, Maha Shivaratri, Chinese New Year, Independence Day, Ugaadi, Eid‑ul‑Fitr and then Easter. Not because it makes up for the cyclone holidays we didn’t get, but because it reminds me how lucky we are to live in a country where differences are celebrated.
On that note, I wish a blessed Maha Shivaratri to everyone celebrating.
~Nathan Allagapen