The source presents the Girmitiya legacy and identifies Mauritius, Fiji, Trinidad, and Guyana. The majority of the celebration details pertain to Mauritius; no distinct event information was provided for Fiji or the Caribbean.
The Girmitiya Legacy: Chhath Across Oceans
In the 19th and early 20th centuries, the British transported thousands of indentured laborers (Girmitiyas) from Bihar and Eastern UP to work on sugar plantations in Mauritius, Fiji, Trinidad, and Guyana. They carried only their faith with them.
Preserving the Rituals
Today, Chhath Puja is recognized as a national festival in Mauritius. Worshippers assemble at coastal beaches and nearby rivers, singing age-old Bhojpuri Chhath Geet that have been orally transmitted for more than a hundred years. Although far from the Ganges, the deep spiritual reverence for Surya Dev continues unchanged.
