The lyrics of course are hindi hain hum, vatan hai Hindustan hamara....but here in Chota Bharat or Mauritius, the people are very comfortable speaking Hindi, watching Indian films, practicing strict religious rituals of their forefathers who came from India, and yet, they say Jai Hind, Jai Mauritius.
On the national day of Mauritius, the country remembers the migrant ships which brought indentured labourers here, morphing an ethnic identity unique to this island nation.
The Indian Prime Minister laid the foundation stone of the World Hindi Secretariat today on the National Day of Mauritius.
Prime Minister Sir Aneerood Jugnauth gave an emotional speech in Hindi, spoken flawlessly, in which he spoke about how intrinsic the language is to Mauritian culture and how even the state encourages people to learn the language at home, in school and colleges.
"Chota Bharat (Mauritius) ka Bharat Mata ko pranaam," Prime Minister Jugnauth said, while speaking at the World Hindi Secretariat in Port Louis.
"We want to witness similar speeches as those delivered (by Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi) at the Madison Square in every corner of the world," he added.
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"In our fight for Independence, we also fought for the right to protect our languages," he added.
Among the indentured labour that came from India, Hindi and Bhojpuri speaking immigrants from north and east India constituted the largest group, hence Bhojpuri emerged as the principal spoken Indian language in Mauritius.
Prime Minister Modi also spoke about the ease of expressing oneself in one's own language. He gave an example of a simile "Radha nay bansuri churai" when translated could become....Radha has stolen the flute, go call the police. The audience broke out into laughter.
The last time PM Modi had said this was to this correspondent during a TV interview during the 2014 election.
He was asked about the awkward metaphor of pain on puppies coming under a car that he had used in an interview to a foreign correspondent when talking about the 2002 riots.
The Prime Minister has given several speeches in English during his visit to the island nations of Seychelles and Mauritius in the past two days.
However, he connects best with his audience when he speaks in Hindi, that too when he does not have a written speech.
The message is not lost on the people of Mauritius that the Indian Prime Minister has not restricted his interactions to just the political leadership. His two-day visit had several meetings in closed rooms, but he has also visited the Apravasi Ghat and the museum attached to it.
"Aapravasi Ghat is an eloquent tribute to the indomitable human spirit and also to enduring links between our people," the Prime Minister said.
The Prime Minister also visited the Ganga Talao and poured gangajal on the Shivling next to a very large statue of Lord Shiva at the lake. He also paid floral tributes at the Mahatma Gandhi statue and participated in the national day celebrations.
"At the Ganga Talao I felt a deeply personal connect...one that comes from the banks of the Ganga in Varanasi," he said there.
But the visit was not minus substance. Shortly before marking Mahatma Gandhi's stopover in Mauritius on his way to India, and the fact that he was chief guest on the National Day of Mauritius which coincides with the start of the Dandi March, Modi commissioned a warship into the Mauritian Coast guard.
"Today, the world speaks of 21st century driven by the dynamism and the energy of Asia and the Pacific. But, its course will be determined by the tides of the Indian Ocean. This is why Indian Ocean is at the centre of global attention more than ever before," the Prime Minister said at the programme.
Valued at USD 50 million, the MCGS Barracuda is an offshore patrol vessel built in India and the first warship to be exported by an Indian shipyard. The ship is armed with a 30 mm gun and can handle any hostile situation, which includes terror threats or threat from pirates.
"Today, Barracuda brings with her the goodwill and greetings of the people of India. She represents our unique trust and confidence. She reflects our partnership that has stood the test of time. She is a symbol of our shared commitment to peace and security in Indian Ocean- our common maritime home. Barracuda is a beautiful ship. She is also very capable; and built to specifications of Mauritius. Now, she sails proudly with the flag of Mauritius. She will protect your islands and your waters. She will be there to help in times of distress and emergencies. But, she will do more than that. She will also help make our Indian Ocean safer and more secure," said Prime Minister Modi.
While sprinting up the naval vessel, the Prime Minister interacted with naval personnel and enquired about operational abilities of the ship.
The Prime Minister leaves for Sri Lanka this evening, where he will spend two hectic days crisscrossing the island nation.
