Public holidays in Mauritius

The Mauritian calendar has 15 public holidays in the year, of which 7 are on fixed dates:

• New Year's Day: January 1st and 2nd
• Commemoration of the Abolition of Slavery: February 1st
• Independence Day: March 12
• Labor Day: May 1st
• Commemoration of the arrival of indentured laborers: November 2
• Christmas: Catholic holiday celebrated on December 25.

Read also Population, culture, and languages in Mauritius

The 8 other holidays are linked to religious ceremonies, and their dates vary according to the lunar calendar:

• Thaipoosam Cavadee: Tamil celebration around mid-January/early February
• Spring Festival: Chinese New Year celebrated around the end of January/beginning of February
• Maha Shivaratree: Hindu celebration around February/March
• Ugadi: Telugu New Year celebrated around the end of March/beginning of April
• Eid-Ul-Fitr: Muslim celebration marking the end of the fasting month - Ramadan
• Ganesh Chaturthi: Hindu celebration around the end of August/beginning of September.
• Divali or Deepavali - the festival of light: Hindu festival celebrated around October/November in honor of the victory of good over evil.
• All Saints' Day: a Catholic celebration on November 1st, celebrated every other year alternating with the Assumption celebrated on August 15th.

Other religious celebrations or commemorations are not public holidays but will still attract attention:

• The pilgrimage to the tomb of the Blessed Jacques Désiré Laval on September 9; 
• Holi (the festival of colors), generally celebrated in March of each year, one day after the full moon; 
• Ganga Asnan, the festival of the Ganges, in November;
• Easter Monday, the date of celebration varies between March 23 and April 26;
• Eid al-Adha, celebrated during the 12th month of the lunar calendar. The date changes each year depending on the observation of the moon.