Grand Bassin (Ganga Talao), the sacred lake

A lake in a crater

In a secluded mountain area of the Savanne district, at about 550 metres above sea level, an old volcanic crater holds a lake ringed by temples. Long known as Grand Bassin, it is now called Ganga Talao, "the pool of the Ganges". It is the holiest place of Hinduism in Mauritius.

As the legend goes: drops of the Ganges

In a widely told mythological account (retold, for example, by NewsGram), Shiva and his wife Parvati were flying around the Earth. Shiva carried the Ganges on his head to stop the river flooding the world. Spotting Mauritius, he decided to land there and accidentally spilled a few drops of the sacred river into a crater, creating the lake.

Another tradition, reported by Defimedia, recalls that before it became Ganga Talao the lake was known as Pari Talao, "the fairies' pool", because fairies were said to dance there at night.

From a priest's dream to a national pilgrimage

The pilgrimage's own story also blends dream and history. According to Defimedia, a pandit from Triolet, Jhummun Giri, dreamed of a forgotten lake in the south of the island and in 1897 made the first journey on foot with a kanwar to the lake during Maha Shivaratri. Other sources date the first organised pilgrimage to 1898; accounts differ.

In 1972, Prime Minister Sir Seewoosagur Ramgoolam had water from the Ganges, brought from India, poured into the lake, which was then renamed Ganga Talao to link it symbolically with the river.

Maha Shivaratri: a tide of white

Every year, on the "great night of Shiva" (in February or March depending on the lunar calendar, and a public holiday in Mauritius), hundreds of thousands of devotees, close to half a million by some estimates, converge on the lake. Many walk from their homes dressed in white, carrying kanwars, small decorated shrines dedicated to Shiva. At the water's edge they pray, make offerings and collect lake water, which is considered purifying.

Mangal Mahadev

At the entrance to the site stands Mangal Mahadev, a 33-metre statue of Shiva inaugurated in 2007 and the tallest in Mauritius. It is a copy of a statue in Vadodara, India.

Visiting tips

The site is open to everyone. Cover shoulders and knees, remove your shoes before entering temples and stay discreet during prayers. During Maha Shivaratri the roads are extremely busy: if you are not a pilgrim, visit at another time.