Bihari Mauritians
Calcuttiyas | |
|---|---|
| Total population | |
| A majority (85%) of Indo-Mauritians | |
| Regions with significant populations | |
| Majority in 7 out of 10 districts (Pamplemousses, Rivière du Rempart, Plaines Wilhems, Flacq, Moka, Grand Port & Savanne) | |
| Languages | |
| Mauritian Creole, Mauritian Bhojpuri, Hindustani (Hindi-Urdu), French and English | |
| Religion | |
| Predominantly: Hinduism Minority: Islam | |
| Related ethnic groups | |
| Bhojpuri people · Biharis · Bihari diaspora · Indian diaspora · Indo-Mauritians · Indo-Seychellois · Indo-South Africans · Indo-Surinamese · Indo-Guyanese · Indo-Trinidadians · Indo-Jamaicans · Indo-Fijians |
Bihari Mauritians are descendants of predominantly Bhojpuri-speaking migrants from the Bihar State of India who moved to Mauritius. A majority of Indo-Mauritians of which they are a subgroup of are of Bihari origin, and most Mauritians are Indo-Mauritians. Caste-wise, many Bihari Mauritians are Vaishyas, with notable groups including Bhumihars, Brahmins, Rajputs, Koeris, Chamars, Yadavs, Kurmis, Banias, and Kayasthas. Except for one, all Mauritian Prime Ministers have been of Bihari Vaishya descent.
Bihari Mauritians primarily originated from the Bhojpur, Gaya, Chhapra (Saran), Gopalganj, East Champaran and West Champaran districts of Bhojpuri region in Bihar. During the early period of migration, the indentured labourers referred to Mauritius as "Marich". Amitav Ghosh's novel, Sea of Poppies, is set in this era and depicts the plight of impoverished Bihari migrants who undertook journeys to Mauritius and other distant colonies of the British Empire.