Gandhi was recognized in Mauritius much before than India, says an activist

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22 Mar 2016, 4:54 am

Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi is a legendary name in India. But even before being known in India, Gandhi was already recognized in Mauritius because of the infamous incident when he was thrown off the train at Pietermaritzburg station.

When the Bombay-bound ship of Karamchand Gandhi got halted in Port Louis, the halt got stretched till 15 days. During that time, Gandhi used to walk on the streets of Port Louis. He often used to visit a particular place of Muslin traders. As he was spotted by these Muslim traders more often, they used to relate to him with the infamous Pietermaritzburg incident.

Gandhi also took part in the reception ceremonies of Muslim traders, Hawabhaai and Tahir Bagh in Mauritius. Gandhi also presented Manilal Maganlal to Indians settled in Mauritius. Manilal asked Gandhi to go to Mauritius, where he represented Indo-Mauritians in court.

Explaining the departure of his forefathers as labourers from India to an unknown land, Ramburn Suresh, the Mauritius social activist, who traces his roots to Bihar's Arrah district, while talking to a leading newspaper said that his grandfather Ramburn was nine-year-old in 1879, when he landed a Mauritius-bound ship along with his parents.

He further told that his grandfather parents died on the ship itself before reaching Mauritius,hence, his grandfather was adopted my Muslim couple. He also told that the place where the first batch of migrant labourers had landed in Mauritius is called 'Apravasi Ghat'. It is now a very famous heritage site.

And at last according to Ramburn Suresh , the three things which migrant labourers did not take away with them from India was a dowry, casteism and the spitting of paan.

(Inputs from agencies)

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Mohandas Karmchand Gandhi