Mauritius Man Returns to Ancestral Odisha for Spiritual Homecoming
Ramrup’s forefathers, known as the Jagannath family, were taken from Jajpur to Mauritius during the British colonial period
Bhubaneswar: For Ramrup Jagurnath, a resident of the distant island nation of Mauritius, the bond with Odisha runs deeper than memory — it runs in his blood. Across generations and oceans, the call of his forefathers has brought him back once again to the sacred soil of Jajpur, the land his ancestors once called home.
Ramrup’s forefathers, known as the Jagannath family, were taken from Jajpur to Mauritius during the British colonial period, when thousands from eastern India were shipped overseas as indentured labourers. Centuries later, Ramrup’s heart still beats to the rhythm of that forgotten homeland.
“I don’t come here to find or get something. I feel this land calling me — Odisha, Jajpur — calling me home. My blood is from here,” he said with a glint of emotion.
This is his fourth pilgrimage from Mauritius to Odisha, each visit a step closer to the past he’s determined to reclaim. At the Siddheshwar Ghat on the banks of the Baitarani River, he performed ‘Pindadaan’ rituals on Friday for his ancestors, symbolically reuniting his lineage with the sacred soil.
During his current seven-day stay, Ramrup plans to visit the revered Maa Biraja Temple and meet officials of the Jajpur district administration to share ancestral documents and seek guidance in tracing possible surviving relatives.
Despite the daunting challenge of finding blood ties severed by centuries, his resolve remains unshaken. His journey is not merely one of discovery — it is a homecoming of the soul.
According to Pandit Prabhat Mishra, a priest, “In Ramrup’s quest echoes the timeless truth that heritage is not forgotten — it merely waits for someone to listen to its call across time, tide, and distance.”
