Hinduism and Popular Cults in Mauritius

“Pavitranand Ramhota and Suzanne Chazan-Gillig in their book explore the unknown sources of the ritual practices of folk Hinduism. They have given a new idea of folk Hinduism which has never been searched and studied. This research is an advancement in the field of social sciences, humanities, theology and religions. Such a folk Hinduism is also found among the Indian communities in Fiji, Caribbean, African countries and in South Asia. The research can give new ideas when the universities of other Indian Diasporas, Indonesian and South Asian countries compare the transition of Mauritian Hinduism.” Mohan K. Gautam, Professor, Leiden University, The Netherlands “An outstanding work which fills the long overdue gap in scholarship on society and culture of Mauritius. What distinguishes this work is its novel approach of using religion as a key to the understanding of society. In the process it unravels the deeper layers of the Mauritian society and reveals to us its variegated and differentiated nature. In examining the religious beliefs, practices and institutions of Hindus in Mauritius, it shows how changes in the religious realm are deeply linked to changes in social, economic and even political realms. In a significant departure from Weberian thesis, this nuanced study illustrates how transformations in the economic foundations of the society deeply impact the religious beliefs, practices and institutions. In advocating a new approach — how a study of ceremonial practices can yield a comprehensive picture of society — the book paves the way for the study of other societies in a similar manner. The book will be useful not for scholars studying Mauritius but also for anthropologists, sociologists, culture and religious studies scholars.” Sanjay Kumar, Professor of English, Banaras Hindu University, India