Durga Puja in Mauritius: Ten Days of Prayer, Fasting and Devotion

Durga Puja, one of the most significant Hindu festivals in Mauritius, began on Sunday 11 October, ushering in ten days of fasting, prayer, song and devotion dedicated to the goddess Durga. Across the island, temples have opened their doors to worshippers who gather daily for communal prayers, bhajans (devotional songs) and dance to honour the divine feminine energy that Durga represents. **Nine Forms, Ten Days** According to Acharya Soopal Mishra, a Hindu religious scholar and ritual guide, each day of the festival is dedicated to a different incarnation of the goddess — beginning with Shailaputri on the first day and concluding with Siddhidatri on the ninth. Each form of Durga is believed to embody distinct powers and blessings. The ten-day cycle builds towards its climax on Vijayadashmi, also known as Dussehra, the final day that commemorates Durga's victory over the buffalo demon Mahishasura. The celebration symbolises the triumph of dharma — righteousness and moral order — over evil. **Daily Offerings with Spiritual Significance** Each day of the festival is accompanied by specific ritual offerings. According to tradition: - **Day 1:** Ghee (clarified butter) - **Day 2:** Sugar - **Day 3:** Milk - **Day 4:** Malpua (a sweet fried bread) - **Day 5:** Bananas - **Day 6:** Honey - **Day 7:** Goor (unrefined cane sugar, commonly used in Mauritian Hindu rituals) - **Day 8:** Coconut - **Day 9:** Kanya Puja — a special ritual in which young girls are honoured as living embodiments of the goddess and offered food and gifts - **Day 10:** Final offerings marking the close of the festival **What Devotees Pray For** Acharya Soopal Mishra notes that prayers to Goddess Durga are traditionally associated with blessings of health, inner strength, prosperity and wealth — values that resonate deeply with Mauritius's large Hindu community, which makes up roughly half of the island's population. Durga Puja is observed widely across Mauritius, particularly in regions with strong Hindu communities such as the north and centre of the island, and reflects the country's rich tradition of religious pluralism. Source: ION News