Mauritius Public Holidays 2024

List of public holidays in Mauritius in 2024.
New Year Monday 01 January
New Year Tuesday 02 January
Thaipoosam Cavadee Thursday 25 January
Abolition of Slavery Thursday 01 February
Chinese Spring Festival Saturday 10 February
Maha Shivaratri Friday 08 March
Independence and Republic Day Tuesday 12 March
Ugaadi Tuesday 09 April
Eid-ul-Fitr** Wednesday 10 April
Labour Day Wednesday 01 May
Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary Thursday 15 August
Ganesh Chaturthi Sunday 08 September
Divali Thursday 31 October
Arrival of Indentured Labourers Saturday 02 November
Christmas Wednesday 25 December

Fixed public holidays

There are 15 public holidays in the year, of which the following are fixed:

  • New Year - 1st/2nd January
  • Independence & Republic Day - 12th May
  • Labour Day - 1st May
  • Assumption Day - 15th August
  • Arrival of Indentured Labourers - 2nd November
  • Christmas - 25th December

Floating public holidays

The remaining public holidays vary from year to year.

  • Thaipoosam Cavadee - January/February.
  • Maha Shivaratree - February.
  • Chinese Spring Festival - January/February.
  • Ougadi - March.
  • Id-El-Fitr - May/June.
  • Ganesh Chaturthi - September.
  • Divali - October/November.

Religious festivals

Mauritians celebrate a variety of festivals originating from three different continents.

Maha Shivaratree

"The Great Night of Siva." Hindu devotees set on foot pilgrimage from all over the island for the sacred lake at Grand Bassin, usually carrying a `Kanwar' - light wooden arches covered in flowers. At Grand Bassin, pilgrims collect holy water which is ritually poured over a statuette of Siva in re-enactment of the classical myth according to which Siva's throat had to be cooled down after he drank the poison from the oceans to spare mankind. The seas became poisoned during the churning of the ocean which, according to one creation myth, gave rise to the universe.

Father Laval

On September 9, people of all faiths gather at the shrine of Father Jacques Desire Laval in Ste Croix, Port-Louis. Father Laval was known both for his fight to abolish slavery, and for possessing miraculous healing powers. His shrine is still believed to possess healing faculties and the pilgrimage to Ste Croix is somewhat reminiscent of Lourdes.

Spring festival

(January/February) The Chinese New Year falls on a different day every year because of the adjustment of lunar to solar days. The dominant colour is red, symbolic of happiness. Food is symbolically piled up to ensure that the year will be bountiful, and the traditional wax cake is distributed to relatives and friends. The day is enlivened by the firing of massive quantities of crackers to ward off evil spirits.

Divali

Divali is celebrated in October/November and marks the homecoming of Rama after his victory over Ravana and also commemorates Krishna's destruction of the demon Narakasuran. Clay oil lamps are placed inside and in front of every hindu home, turning the island into a fairyland of flickering lights.

Holi

This Hindu festival is as colourful as the numerous legends which inspire it - the most popular of which is the destruction of the demon-king Hiranyakashipu and of the evil Holika by Narasimha, the half-man half-lion incarnation of Visnu. It is a festival of revelry when men and women chase each other, squirting coloured water and powder on one another.

Cavadee

Cavadee is celebrated in January/February primarily by Hindus of Tamil origin in honour of Kartikeya, the elder son of Siva. Cavadee is among the most impressive hindu events: devotees with their tongues, cheeks and body pierced with needles, hooks and skewers, dance their way trance-like to the temple carrying the `Cavadee' - a wooden arch covered with flowers with a pot of milk at each end of its base. The Cavadee is placed before the deity in the temple. At this point, despite the long, hot trek the milk should not be curdled. For some, the penance is even more harrowing because temples are sometimes located on mountain slopes.

Ougadi

Ougadi or the Telugu New Year is celebrated in the month of March. The birthday of Ganesha, the God of wisdom and remover of all obstacles is celebrated as Ganesh Chaturthi.

Ganesh Chaturthi

Ganesh Chaturthi is celebrated by Hindus of Marathi origin on the 4th day of the lunar month of August/September, as the birthday of Ganesha, the younger son of Siva, and traditionally the God of wisdom and remover of all obstacles.

Id-El-Fitr

Id-El-Fitr marks the end of Ramadhan, the Muslim holy month of fasting. Prayers are offered at mosques during the day.