भारत और मॉरीशस सरकार की द्विपक्षीय संस्था     A Bilateral Organization of the Government of India and the Government of Mauritius
World Hindi Secretariat


 
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180th Anniversary of the Arrival of Indentured Labourers: Mauritius poising to be a hub of the Indian Diaspora

Written by Sunil Gopal

Mauritius will commemorate the “180th Anniversary of the Arrival of Indentured Labourers” this Sunday (2 November 2014). To mark this historic event, several international and regional activities are being organised throughout the island. The major ones are: an International (Regional) Hindi Conference (29 October to 1 November 2014); an International Bhojpuri Conference (30-31 October 2014); an International Bhojpuri Festival –“Bhojpuri Mahotsaw on 1 November 2014; the commemorative ceremony on 2 November 2014 and an International Conference on Indenture Labour Route (3 to 5 November 2014).

During this period, Mauritius is poising itself as the hub of the Indian Diaspora. Eminent personalities, dignitaries, scholars, academics and other participants from India, and other Asian countries, African countries, Caribbean, Pacific and European countries are participating and attending these various activities.

International Hindi Conference 2014, Mauritius

Resolution No. VIII of the 9th World Hindi Conference held in Johannesburg, South Africa in September 2012 encourages the organisation of “Thematic Regional Hindi Conferences in different countries in the interim period between the World Hindi Conferences with the objective to address the problems faced in teaching and promotion of Hindi in the respective regions.” The World Hindi Secretariat (WHS), a joint set-up of Government of India and Government of Mauritius with a mandate to promote Hindi as an international language also has amongst its main functions the organization of international conferences, seminars, group discussions in the medium of Hindi language.

In light of the above, the Government of India (High Commission of India) has called upon the Government of Mauritius, the WHS and prominent Mauritian organisations to be key partners in the organisation an International (Regional) Hindi Conference in Mauritius. The theme for this Conference is: “Hindi teaching/propagation in the Diaspora: the way towards International cooperation.” The aim of the Conference is to generate greater coordination and collaboration between organisations engaged in teaching/propagation of Hindi among the Hindi Diaspora (both indenture and new) through deeper understanding of the overall status of Hindi in respective countries and identifying possible areas of collaborative action.

The Conference started with the inauguration on 29 October 2014 at 18.30 hrs at the Indira Gandhi Centre for Indian Culture (IGCIC), Phoenix. Two full days of plenary sessions were scheduled, the first one was held yesterday Thursday 30 October 2014 while the second one is taking place today, Friday 31st October 2014 at the Mahatma Gandhi Institute (MGI), where representatives of various countries have been invited to present their scholarly papers.

A one-day round table discussion will follow on 1st November 2014 which will sum up the outcome of the deliberations with its recommendations/resolutions to be forwarded for consideration to the next World Hindi Conference. Twenty delegates of the Hindi Diaspora countries are participating in the conference along with 100 academics and administrators of various Hindi-related sectors in Mauritius.

International Bhojpuri Mahotsaw

The kick-off of the International Bhojpuri Mahotsaw was given on Thursday (30 October at 17.00 hrs at the auditorium of the Mahatma Gandhi Institute), by the President of the Republic of Mauritius H.E Mr Rajkeswur Purryag, GCSK, GOSK, in the presence of the Hon. Mookhesswur Choonee, Minister of Arts and Culture and the High Commissioner of India Shri Anup K Mudgal.al.

The Bhojpuri Mahotsaw started with the Antarastriya Bhojpuri Sahitya Sammellan, with a pre conference session on 30 October itself. A whole day session is scheduled on 31 October from 9.00 to 5 p.m. The main theme of the Sammellan focuses on the rich thousand year old literary and oral literature of Bhojpuri. Two important subthemes are (a) Bhojpuri and/in the Media including the film world, (b) Bhojpuri and Youth. Forty solid abstracts have been received from India, the Diaspora countries including Mauritius and around 80 delegates are expected.

The Bhojpuri Sahitya Sammellan will be followed on 31 October by a Kavi Sammellan – Poets’ Gathering involving all poets and Literateurs from Hindi-Bhojpuri conferences. This Sahitya Sammellan is being organised by the Bhojpuri Speaking Union with the collaboration of the Ministry of Arts and Culture and the Mahatma Gandhi Institute. A pre-conference session was held on 30 October 2014 as from 10.00 a.m. The inaugural session comprised of a cultural programme by local artists and the renowned top most Bhojpuri folk artist Malini Awasthi who will also present a paper at the conference.

Several books have been launched within the inaugural session, between 5 pm and 7.30 p.m. on Thursday (30 October, 2014) at the Auditorium of the Mahatma Gandhi Institute (MGI). The books that were launched are Chulchuli– a short story in Bhojpuri by Mr Geerjanand Dursun by the Bhojpuri Speaking Union and Bhojpuri Sikha – a manual for teachers in baithkas and evening schools to facilitate the learning of Bhojpuri in a non formal schools accompanied by Multimedia. A Website of the Bhojpuri Speaking Union was also launched. A souvenir magazine of the Bhojpuri Speaking Union was also launched on the same occasion.

Cultural items that were presented within the inaugural session from 5.00 to 7.30 p.m. on 30 October at the Auditorium, MGI, were as follows: children show cased illustrations from Bhojpuri Sikha book; Bhojpuri music was presented in a modern rendering; Bhojpuri singing – Gamat style of singing with performance by Vishnu Hurry; Bhojpuri children’s games presented by Mrs Raveeta Salick Peetumber’s students of Rasika Dance Academy; Bhojpuri Speaking Union Geet Gawai School headed by Mrs Reeta Poonuth; Performance of students – Bhojpuri jhumar and performance by Malini Awasthi – She was accompanied by music teachers of IGCIC.

The conference proper will be held on Friday, 31 October at the Subramania Bharati Lecture Theatre from 9.00 a.m to 17.00 hrs. There will be three parallel sessions at the Subramania Bharati Lecture Theatre, at the Conference Room and at the Centre for Mauritian Studies. The Glories of Bihar Art Exhibition will be held at the Rabindranath Tagore Institute (RTI) at Ilot, D’Epinay, as from 3rd November 2014. This activity is a joint collaboration between the Bhojpuri Speaking Union under the aegis of the Ministry of Arts and Culture and the Rabindranath Tagore Institute. The President of the Republic H.E Mr Rajkeswur Purryag, GCSK, GOSK will inaugurate the exhibition on 3 November at 17hrs, in the presence of Hon. Mookhesswur Choonee, Minister of Arts and Culture and other dignitaries. Some 22 renowned Mauritian artists are exposing their works.

Another segment of the exhibition showcases the Glories of Bihar, past, medieval and present through 50 tableaux in the simulation of the Ashokan Pillars of ancient Bihar. This project has been conceptualised and researched by Dr Sarita Boodhoo, in collaboration with Mrs Mala Chummun-Ramyead and Mr.Clarel Bloquet, artists. The exhibition will remain open to the public from 4th to 14th November at the RTI. It is organized by the Bhojpuri Speaking Union under the aegis of the Ministry of Arts and Culture and in collaboration with the MGI/RTI.

Link: http://www.defimedia.info/news-sunday/nos-news/item/62406-180th-anniversary-of-the-arrival-of-indentured-labourers-mauritius-poising-to-be-a-hub-of-the-indian-diaspora.html

 
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