Pilgrimage sites
Grand Bassin
Grand Bassin, or Ganga Talao, is a sacred lake about 1800 feet above sea level, a few kilometres south-east of Le Pétrin. The crater lake is one of the most important Hindu pilgrimage sites outside India.
During the week there is an idyllic, calm atmosphere at Grand Bassin. Once a year, in February or March, however, crowds of pilgrims head for the lake: when Maha Shivaratree is celebrated (the date follows the Hindu lunar calendar and changes every year), hundreds of thousands of believers (around 350,000 were expected in 2026) make the pilgrimage to Ganga Talao to make offerings to their gods.
According to a legend, the crater lake is connected with the holy river Ganges. The god Shiva, the transformer and destroyer, and his wife Parvati were flying around the world in a ship. Shiva wanted to show Parvati the most beautiful places on earth, so they stopped in Mauritius. During the journey Shiva was carrying the river Ganges on his head to protect the earth from flooding. When they wanted to land in Mauritius, Shiva accidentally spilled some water of the holy river. Drops of it flowed together in the crater – this is how Grand Bassin emerged.
Along Grand Bassin there are several temples dedicated to Shiva and other gods, little shrines and colourful statues.
Not far from Grand Bassin you can admire an impressive statue of the god Shiva. It is 33 metres tall, and a statue of the goddess Durga of the same height stands close by.
Tourists are welcome to visit the temples and Grand Bassin itself, but you should follow a certain code of behaviour. Do not dress inappropriately (no short skirts, shorts or T-shirts). Taking photographs is allowed, but do not forget to behave respectfully. Before entering a temple, please take off your shoes.
Grand Bassin is one of the highlights of a holiday in Mauritius. If you are interested in foreign cultures and religions, do not miss the temples and the sacred lake!
Report: Maha Shivaratree
The biggest Hindu festival outside India was taking place during my stay in Mauritius, and I did not want to miss the chance to be on the spot!
During the days of the festival, thousands of believers make the pilgrimage to Grand Bassin. I had read about this important event several times and was very excited to see what it is like. Out of laziness we did not walk, of course: three friends and I took the car to the south. To avoid getting stuck in a traffic jam, we set off for Grand Bassin around 6 am. Very tired, but impressed by an amazing sunrise, we arrived without any problems. We found a parking space directly in front of the site, which would not have been possible later on.
Because Grand Bassin is located in the highlands of Mauritius, rain is the order of the day, so the first thing we did was get out our raincoats and umbrellas. “On Maha Shivaratree it is always raining,” we heard a pilgrim say. However, the moment we saw the 33-metre-high Shiva statue we forgot about the beastly weather. In front of the massive statue Hindus offered bananas and coconuts, lit joss sticks and prayed to their god. Little monkeys came out of the bushes beside the statue to take advantage of the situation, and some pilgrims could not resist throwing bananas to the animals. At the edge of the street there were stalls run by various organisations, which gave explanations about meditation, karma and Hinduism. There was even Shiva merchandise such as stickers and T-shirts with the mantra “Om Namah Shivaya”. A big banner reading “Discover the Secrets of Lord’s Divine Cuisine” pointed to a big food stand that gave out free food to the pilgrims, who were standing in a long queue.
The sacred lake is not far away. Around 400,000 Hindus and members of other religions had been walking for the last days and nights to Grand Bassin. The lake had overflowed because of all the rain, and the countless pilgrims were standing ankle-deep in water. The believers put down flowers and fruits, and the air was filled with the scent of joss sticks. In the main temples and in front of the statues of the gods Ganesha, Ganga and Hanuman, masses of people were waiting to make their offerings. The Hindus do not mind the curious tourists who are observing the ceremonies. Whichever pilgrim we asked about the festival, we always got a friendly and detailed answer.
In this way we learned that there is a very special atmosphere on the last day of Maha Shivaratree. From dusk until late at night the believers dedicate special prayers to Lord Shiva. In this night they can become connected with the moon and, accordingly, with the god Shiva. The moon has an important meaning in Hinduism. Like the human psyche, the moon has sixteen phases. Because the moon is waning, fifteen phases have already been overcome. The sixteenth phase vanishes through ceremonies and rituals. In this way the mind is freed and united with the divine. One of the most important rituals is fasting before the pilgrimage. The believers also scoop water out of Grand Bassin and pour it over Shiva statues in honour of the god. Another important ritual is the watering of the Shiva Lingam, a symbol of Lord Shiva. In addition, leaves of the holy bael tree are strewn about the Lingam.
Observing the different ceremonies and the atmosphere at Grand Bassin was a unique experience. After all the rain there was brilliant sunshine at noon, and more and more people flocked to the sacred lake. After all these unforgettable impressions we made our way back home. We were very happy to have seen Maha Shivaratree, but next time we will make the pilgrimage on foot 🙂
