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"lighten and uplift
them, so that they may soar on the wings of the Divine verses"
-Baha'u'llah
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Handing on
the light of faith
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PORT
LOUIS, Mauritius, 18 January 2004 (BWNS)
-- Three generations
demonstrated the growth of the Baha'i community
in a moving presentation at the festivities
marking the 50th anniversary of the arrival of
the Faith here.
In
the packed auditorium, representatives of the
first generation of Baha'is appeared on the
stage and lit candles held by some of the second
generation of the Mauritian believers. Those
Baha'is in turn passed on the light to the third
generation.
During
the ceremony, two groups, Citoyens du Monde
(Citizens of the World) and Melody Channel, sang
songs of spiritual upliftment, their
performances conducted by Subrata Sharma, the
musical director of the Baha'i House of Worship
in New Delhi. |
A birthday cake for the 50th anniversary
of the Baha'i community of Mauritius was a
centerpiece of a performance by youth and
children.
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Many of
those in the 500-strong audience were overcome with
emotion at the depiction of the history of a community
that grew from a solitary figure in 1953 to a vibrant
community today.
Five
members of the first generation of Baha'is in the
country spoke to the audience about events of the first
years with all their difficulties and triumphs.
A group of
youth presented an Indian dance and then depicted in a
short dramatic sketch the introduction of the Faith to
Mauritius and the events that lead up to the current
focus on children's classes, devotional meetings and
capacity-building study circles.
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Applause
filled the auditorium after the children performed
a moving presentation reminding the audience of
the presence of God in our lives. The Diversity
Dance Workshop also received acclamation.
Speakers
included Eddy Lutchmaya, a member of the
Continental Board of Counsellors for Africa,
Baha'i author Lowell Johnson, and longstanding
Baha'is Sir Harry Tirvengadum, Paul Fabien, Retnon
Muree, and Somoo Valayden.
The
history of the community was also one of the
themes of the opening ceremony for the
festivities, which ran from 12 to 14 December
2003.
National
Spiritual Assembly member Balram Appadoo
introduced to the audience of some 700 Baha'is and
their guests the chief guest speaker, Dr. Graham
Walker of the United Kingdom. |
Distinguished guests... (left to right)
High Commissioner of India, Pripuran Singh Haer,
Vice-President of Mauritius, Raouf Bundhun, chief
guest Baha'i speaker, Dr. Graham Walker. |
Dr. Walker
said that only three years after the 1953 arrival of
Ottilie Rhein, the first Baha'i in Mauritius, there were
more than 100 members of the Faith, and three Local
Spiritual Assemblies were formed by 1956. There are now
100 Assemblies.
"In
1970, with astonishing energy and few resources, the
Baha'is organized an Oceanic Conference at the Queen
Elizabeth College in Mauritius," he said.
"This was attended by the Prime Minister at that
time, Sir Seewoosagur Ramgoolam and 1000 (participants)
from 30 different countries."
Viewing a display... Vice-President Raouf
Bundhun and Baha'i guide, Chantal Servansingh. |
Dr.
Walker said the Mauritian Baha'is helped the Faith
develop in Reunion, Madagascar, and Seychelles,
where National Spiritual Assemblies were formed in
1972.
Outlining
some of the Baha'i contributions to Mauritius, Dr.
Walker said the Baha'is regularly distribute
documents to about 500 organizations and
individuals, generating a productive dialogue and
elevating moral awareness.
"In
January 2001, the Baha'is organized an interfaith
council to identify the common values of all
religions, and to encourage inter-religious and
trans-cultural debate," he said. |
Dr. Walker
praised Mauritius for its many freedoms, offered the
assistance of the Baha'i community to the social and
economic development of the country, and called on the
government to resume its support for the United Nations
resolutions against the persecution of Baha'is in Iran.
In his
address, the guest of honor, the vice-president of the
Republic of Mauritius, Raouf Bundhun, offered the Baha'i
community his best wishes for "success and great
achievements in the future."
"The
Baha'i community has all the time been working
assiduously, discreetly, and with a seriousness of
purpose, and promoting the development of its members
and the welfare of the people at large," Mr.
Bundhun said.
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"Inspired
by the message of Bahá'u'lláh,
they have been constantly promoting the key theme
of unity and justice," he said.
On
that same occasion, a large screen carried a
message from the Universal House Justice that said
in part that the Baha'i community of Mauritius had
"been blessed with a body of devoted
believers whose consecrated efforts have, over the
years, firmly accomplished the sustained growth of
the Cause of God in Mauritius."
Other
events held during the jubilee celebrations
included a public address by Dr. Walker on
"Science and Morality," an occasion
opened by Dr. Chunnoo, president of the Medical
Council of Mauritius. |
The Diversity Dance Workshop, who perfomed at the
jubilee. |
The
Minister of Arts and Culture, Motee Ramdass spoke highly
of the Baha'i community when he opened an exhibition at
the Baha'i Institute in Belle Rose on the history of the
Baha'i Faith in Mauritius.
During the
half-century of the Faith in Mauritius there have many
individuals of great capacity who arose to develop the
Baha'i community in the country.
Among those
was Miss Rhein, who was named by Shoghi Effendi as a
Knight of Bahá'u'lláh for her service in being the
first person to bring the Faith to Mauritius.
Ottilie Rhein (1903-1979). |
Miss
Rhein (1903-79), who had arrived in the United
States from Germany as a young girl, set out
during a global Ten Year Plan to take the
teachings of the Baha'i Faith around the world.
She
arrived in Mauritius on 11 November 1953, and on
her first expedition to provide necessities for
living there met the proprietor of a shop, Mr. Yim
Lim, who became the first resident of the country
to join the Faith.
Another
prominent Baha'i was Seewoosumbur Appa
(1912-1981). Mr. Appa became a Baha'i in 1956 and
diligently served the Faith until the last day of
his life. He was a member of Local and National
Spiritual Assemblies and served as a member of the
Continental Board of Counsellors. |
Conscientious,
hardworking and orderly, he had a gentle, pure-hearted
personality that led him to become known affectionately
throughout Mauritius and the African countries he
visited as "Papa Appa." A schoolteacher by
profession, he was also an outstanding teacher of the
Baha'i Faith.
Another
dynamic Mauritian Baha'i was Roddy Lutchmaya
(1932-1999), a joyous and enthusiastic personality, who
held the high-ranking post of Commissioner of Prisons in
Mauritius. He served on Local and National Spiritual
Assemblies and was also a member of the Continental
Board of Counsellors.
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| Published in
www.Bahaiworldnews.org |
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