| Ganga Talao | |
|---|---|
| Ganga Talab - Grand Bassin | |
 Ganga Talao lake in Mauritius | |
  Ganga Talao | |
| Location | Mauritius |
| Coordinates | 20°25′05″S57°29′31″E / 20.41806°S 57.49194°E /-20.41806; 57.49194 |
| Surface elevation | 550 m (1,800 ft) |
| Settlements | Savanne |
Ganga Talao (commonly known asGrand Bassin[ɡʁɑ̃basɛ̃]) is considered a sacred lake among Hindus, located in a volcanic crater situated in a secluded mountain area, high above the Indian Ocean in the district ofSavanne on the tiny island ofMauritius.[1]
The Ganga Talao acts as the "cultural touchstone" for Mauritius' Indian emigrants. The lake serves as the location of an annual pilgrimage duringMaha Shivaratri, the island's most important Hindu festival.[1][2]
In 2025, Prime Minister of India, Narendra Modi visited the site as a symbolic gesture of the spritual and cultural connection and deep rooted ties between India and Mauritius.[3]
Ganga Talao literally means the "Lake of Ganga", an allusion to the Grand Bassin's symbolic connection with the Indian riverGanga (Ganges).[citation needed]
According to legend, in 1887 (some say 1890s) a priest by the name of Pandit Jhummun Giri of Triolet[4] claimed to have experienced a revelation in a dream of seeing the waters of the Ganga Talao flowing from the goddess deity Ganga. News of the revelation spread quickly and the Ganga Talao became the "embodiment of a Hindu God" which connected it to the river Ganges 4,000 miles away.[1]
The importance of the lake and it's celebration traces back to the difficulties experienced during Mauritius' Indian emigrants when half a million indentured laborers were brought to the island in the nineteenth century with promises of a better life.[1] For those that survived the journey across the Indian Ocean aboard ships rife with disease, they were put to hard labor in the sugar can fields. The revelation of the priest allowed the emigrants to create a link back to the Ganges and to "bathe in sacred waters once more."[1]
The first group of pilgrims to Ganga Talao were from the village of Triolet and led byPanditGiri Gossayne from Terre Rouge in 1898.[5]
In 1998 it was declared a "sacred lake". In 1972, some holy water from the Ganges River was mixed establishing a symbolic link with the sacred Indian River and the lake was renamed Ganga Talao.[6]
The celebration of Maha Shivarati is dedicated to the Hindu god Shiva, one of the three major deities in Hinduism.[1] DuringShivaratri, close to half a million Hindus inMauritius go on a pilgrimage to the lake, many walking from their homes carrying hand-madeKanvars (kanwars), small shrines dedicated to the god Shiva.[2] These small shrines are placed along the edge of the lake, where pilgrims provide offerings of food, fire, prayer, and ceremonies.[1] One ritual is to do their prayers with the water from the lake so that they are "purified" and so that Shiva's energy is "transferred" to them.[1]
Those who have made the pilgrimage often bottle some of the water, which is considered "sacred liquid," to bring back for those unable to come.[1]
Tradition often holds that people offer food and drink to the pilgrims.
Mangal Mahadev is a 33 m (108 ft) tall statue of the Hindu god,Shiva, standing with histrident at the entrance of Ganga Talao. Inaugurated in 2007, it is the tallest statue in Mauritius and a faithful copy of the Shiva statue inSursagar Lake inVadodara, Gujarat in India.[4]
There are temples dedicated to other gods as well, including LordHanuman, GoddessGanga, and LordGanesh along the Grand Bassin.
The statue is 33 m (108 ft) tall. The festivalsDurga Pooja andNavaratri are lavishly celebrated around the island in temples or temporary structures built for the occasion.[4]
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