The Temple Of Triolet, One Of The Largest In Mauritius
In the town of Triolet you can see one of the largest and oldest temples in Mauritius. The Maheswarnath Mandir, also known as Trilet Shivala, is a Hindu temple. It is presided over by Lord Shiva and is famous for being part of the history of the first pilgrimage to the holy lake in the country.
If you have decided to spend your holidays in Mauritius, include among your plans visiting Triolet. You will not regret it because it has other attractions, in addition to the temple. Discover with us the main secrets of the Maheswarnath Mandir.
What to see in the temple of Triolet
Maheswarnath Mandir was founded in 1888. Its promoter was Pandit Shri Sajeebunlall, a Hindu street vendor who became rich. Since its construction, this place has been the main stronghold of Hindu culture in Triolet and throughout the country of Mauritius.
It is made up of seven temples and all of them follow Bengali architecture. The smaller temples are dedicated to different deities, such as that of Vishnu. For its part, the main temple has decoration that refers to various deities.
This peculiar building shows sobriety with its white background, although the ornaments and sculptures are colorful. In the main temple we will see that it is dedicated to Shiva, his wife and children. The images came from India itself while the temple was being built.
The hidden gold
As in almost all places, there are legends that in the end it is not known if they are true or not. In the case of the temple of Triolet, it is said that during construction a pot full of gold coins was found.
The Maha Shivratree festival
An annual pilgrimage to Lake Grand Bassin takes place from the temple of Triolet. At the end of the 19th century, two priests dreamed that the gushing waters were part of the Ganges River. This agitated the Hindu community, as this was the evidence of the sacred nature of Mauritius.
These priests formed an expedition with other people the following year. They took water from the lake to offer it to Shiva. In this way, the lake began to be considered sacred.
The tradition continues and the people of Mauritius go to the lake to collect water and take it to the temple of Triolet as an offering to Shiva. The water is also taken to the different temples in each town in Mauritius.
What else to see in Triolet
The main attraction for almost all tourists who go to Mauritius are the beaches. You should know that Triolet is not a coastal town, but it is close to others that are, such as Grand Baie or Mont-Choisy or Port Louis, the capital of the country.
In addition to the Hindu temple, in Triolet you can see the Solitude freshwater lake, which was formed from a natural source. You will also be able to see the tower that still stands from the chimney of the old sugar mill. If you go to this town you will see that in its surroundings the cultivation of sugar cane predominates.
There is not much else to see in Triolet, so in one morning you can enjoy the Maheswarnath Mandir and the rest of the city. Therefore, it will not take much time from your vacation on the island of Mauritius.
When to travel to Triolet
As we said, Triolet can be known in one day, so to choose the dates it is better that you take into account other aspects related to the rest of your trip. As you are surely going with the intention of enjoying its beaches and diving in them, you should travel in the warmer months.
The temperature does not vary so much during the year, as it is between 20 and 30 degrees Celsius. To make the most of the sun and be able to bathe, the best times are from April to the end of June and from mid-September to mid-December. In both periods, in addition, it is when it rains the least in Mauritius.
Main photography: Karsten Ratzke / Wikimedia Commons
