Before we talk about Dr. Rajendra Arun and his pet project i.e. construction of a grand Ram Mandir in far away place place close to African Continent Port Luis, Mauritius, first we need a little perspective about country called Mauritius.
Mauritius, is a volcanic island of lagoons and palm-fringed beaches in the Indian Ocean closer to African Continent.It has a reputation for stability and racial harmony among its mixed population of , Indians (mostly Hindus), Europeans, Chinese and Africans.
The island has maintained one of the developing world's most successful democracies and has enjoyed years of constitutional order.It has preserved its image as one of Africa's few social and economic success stories.Once reliant on sugar as its main crop export, Mauritius was hit by the removal of European trade preferences but has successfully diversified into textiles, upmarket tourism, banking and business outsourcing.
The strategy helped the island's economy weather the world financial crisis of 2008-09 better than expected.
Political stability and efforts to diversify have helped Mauritius become one of Africa's most prosperous economies
It also claims the Chagos Islands, administered by Britain and home to a US military base on Diego Garcia.
At present various cultures and traditions flourish in peace,person of Indian origin who constitute majority are most Hindus. They are 3rd/ 4th generation of laborers brought by Britisher sugarcane planters to work in sugarcane fields, sugar mills and for other petty jobs.These were basically from Calcutta (mostly Biharis),Madras (Tamil).
Between 1834 and 1921, around half a million indentured labourers were present on the island. They worked on sugar estates, factories, in transport and construction sites. Additionally, the British brought 8,740 Indian soldiers to the islands. The first Indian labour group arrived in 1721 from Calcutta and Pondicherry. Port-Louis, which is now the capital of this Island nation, at that time was was divided into three sectors, with the Indian community in the eastern suburb of ‘Camp de Malabar’. There was also massive immigration from Madagascar, Southern and Eastern Africa, Mozambique and the Comoro Islands . Chinese immigrants, who were in commerce, also arrived later, and the colony was transformed into a predominantly Asiatic population. The expanding marketing sector also attracted many traders from Northern India.
Indian laborers were in very pathetic conditions, underpaid overworked and lived in sub-human conditions. Mostly uneducated, they could sustain themselves on their faith in their religious scripture Ramayan most of them learnt by heart.Not surprising, most of the people of Indian origin have a temple with Hanuman. The next big ethnic group is Creoles, descendants of African slaves who make up a third of the population live in harmony with people of Indian origin.
Dutch were first to arrive in Mauritius somewhere around 1598, at that time this group of islands was uninhabited.They abandoned it in 1710. Then around 1715 it was taken over by the French. Britishers seized it in 1810. Realising the potential of agricultre, Britishers started cultivation of sugarcane and producing sugar. The country gained independence in 1968 as a constitutional monarchy, with executive power nominally vested in the British monarch. It became a republic in 1992.
The island of Rodrigues and other smaller islets also form part of the country. Mauritius claims sovereignty over the Chagos islands, which lie around 1,000 km to the north-east. The British territory, which was separated from Mauritius in 1965, is home to the US military base on Diego Garcia. The British government oversaw the forced removal of the Chagos islanders to Mauritius to make way for the base.
The country is home to some of the world's rarest plants and animals. But human habitation and the introduction of non-native species have threatened its indigenous flora and fauna.
The dodo - a flightless bird and a national symbol - was hunted into extinction in the 17th century.
It is really a paradox that those in power in India always fear of accepting fact that Ram and his philosophy is way of life for majority of people country. There fear is not unfounded. Anybody who talks about Ram is branded as anti secular. But government of multi ethnic and multi religious Mauritius has no such fear. In fact the Government passed a bill in their parliament in the year 2001 with support of those who were in power as well as those in opposition to form Ramayana Centre. The objective behind this is to disseminate ideals and universal values embodied in Ramayana.The centre comprise Ram temple, library space for study and research on Ramayana, guest rooms and other utilities. This bill was culminated because of great efforts put by Rajendra Arun, who is an eminent scholar and specialist in Ramayana.
Arun was born in India. He is from a village Narpitambarpur near Ayodhya, did his higher studies from Pryag University. Started his career as journalist and migrated to Mauritius in 1973. At that time Sir Shiv Sagar Ramgolam was Prime Minister, Rajendra edited his newspaper Janta. From 1983, Arun is fully devoted to spreading ideals of Ramayana, wrote 10 books on different characters of Ramayana.
I met Arun first time almost after 30 years at Dharmyug office with Dr Dharm Veer Bharti.At that time he did an article on Ganga Talab which became centre of religious and cultural activities in Mauritus. Talked about his cultural work with full of enthusiasm. He still have the same energy level. He reads, writes,research and do Pravachans on Ramayana. Secret of his popularity is his simplifying guru gyan in common man's idioms and language. He travels very extensively from USA, Canada to India for pravachans. He is now little more engaged in construction of Ram temple in the Ramayana Centre complex in Port Luis not very far away from Airport. The proposed temple will be in the shape of tortoise, one of the Dashavtars, incarnation of Vishnu. The ground floor will be a big auditorium and the first floor will be Ram temple with unique architecture based on Vastu gyan by Indian Vastu specialist Satish Bhohite. The middle two domes of the temple will be pyramidical to tap positive cosmic energy.
Yes, there is a need that tribe of Rajendra Arun increase, who are capable of interpreting religious scriptures as a source of inspiration, moral, social awakening tool.
@pradeep gupta2012
.jpg "A Gumnam Actress Strips Nude to Protest Auto/taxi Fare Hike")
