Girmitiya Mahotsav in India, a festival celebrating the Indian diaspora

South African musical sensation Shashika Mooruth lit up the stage at India’s Girmitiya Mahotsav, a festival celebrating the heritage of the Indian diaspora.

The Girmitiya Mahotsav, organised by the Girmitiya Foundation in Delhi, took place on Saturday, September 6.

"Girmitiya" refers to Indian indentured labourers who settled outside of India.

The Mahotsav brought together descendants of the Girmitiya from across the world through cultural performances, intellectual discussions, and artistic showcases, dedicated to celebrating and preserving a shared heritage while paying tribute to revered ancestors.

The performances created a rich tapestry of music, dance, and cultural narratives from Mauritius, Fiji, Guyana, Trinidad, Suriname and South Africa, among others.

Performing for the first time at a Girmitiya Mahotsav, Mooruth described the experience as deeply personal and historic.

“While I have been performing in India since 1987 across various genres, this occasion was extraordinary. I was not only representing South Africa, but also paying homage to my forefathers who journeyed from India as indentured labourers, carrying with them the cultural and spiritual heritage that continues to inspire us,” she said.

Mooruth said representing South Africa at the Girmitiya Mahotsav was both an honour and an emotional experience.

"It isn't just about me as a singer, it was about carrying the voice of generations who came before me. I felt I was paying tribute to their courage and resilience. To sing here was to close a circle of history, and to make my parents proud, as they always supported my journey in Indian music, even when it seemed unconventional as a career path in South Africa.

"I recall when I moved to India for studies and chose to stay on in 1987, my dad who is late now told me then that I was the first in our family to return to our roots. I felt the impact of the those words at the event," she said.

She said the gathering from the diaspora was special and necessary.

"It brings together people from across the globe who share a common ancestry and history, and it creates a platform to celebrate not only our struggles but also our achievements. Music and culture become the bridge between nations, and events like the Girmitiya Mahotsav ensure that the sacrifices and contributions of our ancestors are never forgotten. They also remind us that we are deeply connected despite living in different parts of the world," said Mooruth, who lives in Govardhan near Delhi.

Anil Sooklal, High Commissioner of South Africa to India also attended the event.

"Our ancestors who left India as slaves which the British then called indentured labour. They were first moved to Mauritius in 1834 and then spread to many countries. Our ancestors went to these countries as cheap labour, in slave-like conditions and were treated like slaves," said Sooklal.

He said the history of the Girmitiya was linked to the rise of the countries that "we are resident in today".

"We were all under colonial rule and in the case of South Africa a further level of discrimination was apartheid, where your existence was based on your race and yet we were able to lift ourselves up. What you are seeing is the rise of the global south.

"People still have the perception that the Girmitiya community were poor, impoverished Indians that were sent to all parts of the Indian empire. But my ancestors may have been poor materially but they were not poor mentally. They were highly educated in their own culture, their own religion, their own language and they brought this rich history to all of our countries and nourished these countries. I think it's important to shine the torch on Girmitiya history. If we don't know our roots, we don't know our place in society," he said.

SUNDAY TRIBUNE