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Research Paper | Musicology | Volume 15 Issue 2, February 2026 | Pages: 1689 - 1702 | Mauritius
Holi Chawtaal: A Musical Tradition in Mauritius
Abstract: UNESCO inscribed the Bhojpuri folk songs from Mauritius, known as 'Geet Gawai', on the Representative List of Intangible Cultural Heritage in December 2016 (UNESCO, 2016; Boodhoo, 2016, 2023a, 2023b; Dawosing, 2019, 2020; Chakrabarty, 2025). However, 'Geet Gawai' represents only one facet of the island's rich Bhojpuri folk traditions, transplanted to the diaspora by the Indian indentured labourers (girmitiya-s) in the mid-nineteenth century. Equally significant traditions - Ramayana Chanting and Holi Chawtaal persist within Indo-Mauritian communities yet remain underexplored in scholarly discourse. The study investigates Holi Chawtaal as practised in Mauritius, through musicological and ethnomusicological lenses, examining its historical origins, musical structures and sociocultural functions. Drawing on ethnographic fieldwork, interviews, audiovisual analysis and desktop research, this paper outlines the rhythmic organisation, vocal form, instrumentation, performance style, performance contexts and cultural significance of this musical form within Indo-Mauritian communities. The findings show that Holi Chawtaal preserves the core features inherited from North Indian folk traditions while evolving through local adaptations that strengthen community participation and cultural continuity. The study highlights its role as a structured participatory musical system that preserves heritage, sustains communal identity and memory in contemporary Mauritian society, even as modernisation and commercialisation reshape participation patterns and performance contexts.
Keywords: Holi, Chawtaal, Folk Music, Mauritius, Cultural identity
How to Cite?: Sweta Bauboolall Shibchurn, "Holi Chawtaal: A Musical Tradition in Mauritius", Volume 15 Issue 2, February 2026, International Journal of Science and Research (IJSR), Pages: 1689-1702, https://www.ijsr.net/getabstract.php?paperid=SR26226020532, DOI: https://dx.dx.doi.org/10.21275/SR26226020532