On Thursday 2nd April 2026, the reception hall of the Indian High Commission in Ebene was the venue of a rich Eid cultural programme with dance and qawwalis, followed by a sumptuous dinner. The guests were made up of the people responsible for the management of Masjids, representatives of social organisations and members of the National Assembly.
It is part of a yearly activity in the calendar of the Indian Mission here. The mission’s staff did a fantastic job in decorating the reception hall in the colours of Eid, with paintings of the Mughal era and some historical masjids as well as the long lines of bouquets laid out. It needs the skill of a real decorator to produce the ambiance of Eid.
The High Commissioner, Sri Anurag Srivastava, in a moving speech welcomed the guests, who were visibly moved by the words of their host. I would have loved the High Commissioner to have allowed any one guest to respond to his address. He would have realised that the bond of friendship was reciprocal.
India has a very rich history of peaceful co-existence of different communities and religions. It has the second largest Muslim population in the world, and the High Commissioner says that Chief Ministers, Ministers, Mayors and Regional leaders invite Muslims for Iftar [breaking of the fast] and Eid Milan [Eid gathering]. Hindu temples and Hindu families traditionally serve food to their Muslim neighbours for Iftar and open the Mandirs to Muslims for the night prayers.
Kudos to the Indian High Commission here and to its sympathetic High Commissioner and staff for making Muslims here realise that they are still in the heart of their initial/original motherland. Long live India, long live Mauritius. Long live India, long live India-Mauritius bonds.
Dawood Auleear
