Diwali in Mauritius: The Festival of Light   Hinduism is the largest religion in Mauritius with over half the population identifying as Hindu; this means that every year when Diwali comes around, over half of the population and even more are celebrating, making it one of the most spectacular times of the year to be on our humble island. From Sanskrit, Diwali literally translates to “a row of lamps” which explains the tradition of lighting tiny oil lamps and placing them all around the house. But going deeper in, the lamps give light and relate to all that Diwali stands for: spiritually signifying the victory of light over darkness, good over evil, knowledge over ignorance and hope over despair. The ‘Festival of Light’- as it also known – is an official holiday in Mauritius and lights up the entire island and the hearts of its inhabitants. Typically, the Diwali preparations and rituals extend over a 5-day period, with the main festival of Diwali coinciding with the darkest, new moon night. The festival is celebrated with great fervour and passion across the island and around the world through family gatherings, prayer, exchanging of gifts and food traditions. Before Diwali arrives, it is tradition for families to clean their houses and business properties and then elaborately decorate them; this is to honour Lakshmi, the Hindu goddess of wealth and prosperity. Other traditions also include ‘rangoli’, a type of Indian folk art created with coloured rice flour, which is used to create intricate patterns on the floor around which tealights or oil lamps are placed. People also buy new clothes in order to dress up and look their best for the occasion, while the ladies sometimes apply henna to their hands and feet – another way of making themselves look beautiful and preparing themselves for the night of celebration. On Diwali night itself, people dress up in their newly bought fancy attire and gather together with family and friends for prayer. Buildings are brightly lit up, draped with sparkling lights; traditional Indian sweets and food are shared and the night sky is emblazoned with firework after firework, making it a magical spectacle for everybody to behold. On the west-coast of Mauritius, the home of Marguery Villas, the experience of Diwali is truly amazing, especially in Tamarin Village. The Hindu folk go all out and certainly go out of their way to ensure that everyone truly feels and becomes a part of the festivities. The lights, the music, the food and the genuine joy among the community is an authentic experience and one not to be missed, whether you are Hindu or not. Diwali this year in 2017 falls on Thursday 19th October and will be a public holiday for the entire island. Make your Diwali one to remember and allow the celebrations on the west-coast of Mauritius to brighten up your soul. Contact us today to discuss Diwali special offers for our beautiful, luxury, private villas in Mauritius and we look forward to sharing our Diwali with you. Happy Diwali to one and all and remember, light will always overcome darkness.

The Jazz Festival of Tamarin hotel Tamarin has a real musical culture that is as strong as it is distinct: several talented musicians live there. Among those, Cyril Michel, jazzman and former hotel director, initiated the Jazz Festival a few years ago, an unmissable event on the cultural calendar of the islanders. Over a one-week period on the small stage of the Tamarin hotel, little concerts bring together various local and international artists to share the same stage. His love for jazz equals the passion he has for surfing; Cyril knew how to inject a unique Tamarin tone, “swept from the spray of the ocean”. Jazz, a music of exchange and discovery, is transformed by fusing Mauritian sega, maloya from Reunion Island and African rhythms. The jam sessions are unique moments of osmosis, which one enjoys, feet burrowed in the sand of the bar. They always honour the memory of Ernest Wiehe, who was the soul of the Festival, the internationally renowned, greatest Mauritian jazz artist and former lecturer at the Berkeley School of Music of Boston. Modern jazz, bossa nova, swing or bebop: make sure not to miss this musical odyssey. Photo credit : Hôtel Tamarin

Mardaye or the gentle lifestyle of Tamarin All the locals of Tamarin will tell you, their voice betraying their nostalgia: Mardaye, was the heart of Tamarin, always associated with Sunday afternoon and the traditional sunset which marks the end of the weekend. Mardaye was this tiny shop, a few steps from the bay, on the main road. Himself, his wife and his daughter worked there, and more particularly on Sunday to the greatest pleasure of the regulars. Mardaye prepared “gato-patate”, sweet potato-based, a variation of rissole whose fried paste concealed the delectable taste of sugar, coconut and sweet potato. Your fingers and mouth would get mercilessly burned as it was impossible to wait until this treat has sufficiently cooled down before biting into it. One would queue on the pavement and the uninitiated who had not reserved ahead of time could only watch, helpless and frustrated, as the more aware customers left with white paper bags filled to the brim. The worst situation was to patiently wait while savouring the heady smell only to be told: “No reservation? There is none left” because Mardaye put more emotion and tenderness into his cakes than in his relationships with the customers. But for the lucky ones setting out again towards the bay with their invaluable treasure, it was nearly impossible to wait to get to the beach to surreptitiously sink their teeth into their “gato-patate” Then, once seated on the beach, one savoured the “gato-patate” which lost some of its searing heat, with a lost gaze directed towards the horizon. Mardaye does not need to cook “gato-patate” any more, his reputation offered him a peaceful retirement, as sweet as his cakes.   Photo Credit : Philippe Online

Quatre-Bornes market fair A must-see during your holidays in Mauritius: the fair of Quatre-Bornes is a picturesque, merry market place in the nearby city, where you can appreciate the variety of lined stalls. But do not take our word for it, take a look for yourself. It is a little over 24 km’s away, 20 minutes by car or 45 minutes by bus if you wish to experience full immersion into the Mauritian culture. Twice per week, on Thursday and Sunday mornings, the merchants propose various articles, including a vast majority of clothing manufactured in Mauritius, but also products from the craft industry, fabrics, accessories, shoes, objects of worship… What differentiates this fair from the other traditional places of shopping is that it has always been intended for Mauritian shoppers, but that visitors to the island quickly understood the interest of going there for purchase memories. Advantages being that the prices are reasonable and the merchants are always open to bargaining. Moreover, this practice is highly recommended in order not to be held in disdain by the traders. In winter, people rush to buy sweaters and fleece clothing. In summer, tee-shirts and shorts flood with bright colours the dark aisles full of hustling people. One can hear Reunion Island Creole, Russian, Chinese or English in all the aisles but at the time of settling transactions, everybody understands each other. After your shopping, taste the excellent “gato-piment” and “samosas” in front of the market fair and end your snacking time with a “gato arouille” laced with hot sauce: they are cooked right before your eyes.   Photo credit : voyage-ile-maurice.info

Paddling among tortoises If you have already gone on a boat trip to see dolphins, you would have surely embarked from Petite Rivière Noire. This small bay shelters quite a few tortoises, which some people are sometimes lucky enough to encounter. But they are mostly present en route to Ile aux Bénitiers, in a heavenly place called Ilot Fortier (Fortier islet). The name does not do it justice, because it is in fact a peninsula sheltering innumerable fish and a splendid sandy seabed surrounded by large immersed rocks. The place is ideal for paddling, even if strong winds make it a little more demanding. But the end reward is magical. Up until May, and preferably when the sea is calm, one can simply moor to a buoy and scan the sea. Initially, one only sees the vast expanse of turquoise water, barely rippling from a light swell. And then, suddenly, a large green head breaks water’s surface. A glance towards the paddle and us, the intruders, before the tortoise swiftly dives back under. We are forced to be patient, because the tortoise can hold its breath for extended periods of time before reappearing. Some resurface really close to the paddle. It is fun counting the number of dives and speculating on the place of the next appearance. On good days, one can see up to five tortoises on an outing. And the ultimate reward is paddling in the crystal clear waters following a young tortoise, who clearly does not mind the company. Even if the photograph is blurry, your memory will remain long-lived.

Orlane, the yarn-manipulating magician Orlane Lacaze, art craftswoman, is a Frenchwoman who has been living in Mauritius since a few years now. Artist at heart, Orlane uses her long fingers and talent to summon original crochet creations. Orlane conjures one’s emotions and piques one’s interest with her coloured and unique creations which take shape as knots, crochet and macramé, made of common, mixed or unexpected materials, resulting in original or inspired forms. As far as possible, the products are issued from materials manufactured on the island, thereby making the whole experience eco-friendly and turning the products into novel, refined and authentically Mauritian ones. Carpet, footrests, plaids, bed throws, dreamcatchers, paintings, ceiling light fittings … a whole, slightly fairylike, and light universe which equips and livens a room. Orlane also volunteered to train unemployed women living in underprivileged areas of Black River: this step appears only natural to her considering all that she has received from Mauritius. She has set on a project which she wanted to embark upon since a while now: “to dress” the filaos of the bay with crochet. Thus, ditching her magic broom for a ladder, she hung some of her creations around the trees. During your next visit to the bay, remember to go admire her work: it is a form of beach art, beautiful and free: truly fitting the artistic spirit of Tamarin!   Photo credit : Isloom

Tec-tecs of the bay, Tamarin’s well guarded culinary secret It is a gourmet pleasure that Mauritians are particularly fond of, especially when visiting Tamarin, where nature decided to lodge those delicious, easy to gather shells on the shores of the splendid bay. After your reinvigorating swim, put on, a cap and examine the sand. Maybe you have already come across Mauritians, toes steeped into the sand, frantically digging to obtain a closed shell? Tec-tecs live a few centimetres from the surface, where water laps at the sand. Wait for a wave to wet the sand, point your foot downwards and poke the sand. Do two tiny holes appear? Bingo, you found your first tec-tec! Delicately dig into the sand and collect it before it is taken by a wave or tries to dig deeper into the sand. Tec-tecs being very small creatures, you need to think big: half an hour should be enough to bring back the biggest ones (mercilessly reject the smaller ones). Back home, leave them to soak 1 to 2 hours in clear salty water and stir regularly. This operation will allow the tec-tecs to expel all the sand from their shells. Rinse the shells one last time then heat some butter in a pan. Throw in the tec-tecs and as soon as the shells open, stir and add garlic. All shells must be open. Tec-tecs are enjoyed au naturel as aperitif (which requires skinning), in soups or with my personal favourite, pasta. A 100% local iodised and tasty pleasure!   Crédit photo : Pinterest