Paradise inland: Mauritius
There is more to Mauritius than pristine beaches, as Lorraine Mallinder discovers on a colourful tour of the island's bustling towns and serene landscapes
It's another sunny day on the paradise island of Mauritius and the only sensible plan would be to walk right into the postcard. You know - the one with the azure waters and golden sands that you will inevitably send to envious friends and relatives.
And yet, here we are in the midst of urban chaos, lost in a procession of men, women and children - all dressed in dazzling colours, their faces and backs pierced with all manner of hooks and skewers - carrying aloft floats festooned with plants, flowers, peacock feathers and statuettes of Hindu deities.
Rose Hill, a bustling little town on the country's central plateau, is not the first place you'd think of visiting in the sweltering heat of midday. Today, though, the burghers are celebrating Kavadi, a festival of penance celebrating Lord Murugan, the Tamil god of war and victory. A man hoses down the street so worshippers won't burn their feet.
It's an almost hallucinatory experience, watching the tide of saffron robes pass by, the strains of nadaswaram (a wind instrument) filling your ears and the scent of spices wafting through the air. Mauritius, with its large Hindu contingent, roughly three-quarters of the population, is often called Little India.
The influence of the subcontinent is everywhere, from little shrines featuring the monkey god Hanuman and the elephant-headed Ganesh on roadsides and beaches to the food.
Ah yes, the food! There's a man on the other side of the procession tucking into his dholl puri, a crêpe-like snack filled with curried bean sauce, tomato chutney and chilli. Mauritians, it must be said, love their chilli.