Cultural
Aapravasi Ghat
Photo : Suyash Dwivedi (CC BY-SA 4.0)
Located in Port Louis, Mauritius, this site represents the first major centre for indentured labour immigration in the Indian Ocean region during the 19th century. Following the abolition of slavery, the British colonial administration established this immigration depot to process and accommodate indentured workers primarily from the Indian subcontinent. The ghat served as a gateway for over 450,000 indentured labourers who arrived to work on sugar plantations, fundamentally shaping Mauritian society and demographics. The architectural ensemble includes warehouses, barracks, and administrative buildings that reflect the colonial infrastructure of the period. The site bears witness to a significant chapter in the history of labour migration and the transformation of colonial economies in the Indian Ocean. Its inscription recognises the historical importance of indentured labour systems and their lasting impact on the cultural and social composition of the island.
