Preserving Bhojpuri Language and Culture Through Art

Every year, the Aapravasi Ghat Trust Fund of Mauritius organizes an Art Exhibition for the preservation and promotion of art and culture. The purpose of this paper is to analyze how two specific artworks help preserve and promote the Bhojpuri language and culture presented by two famous artists in Mauritius. The first artist, Mr. Hurry presented an artwork of 38 Bhojpuri sentences written in Devanagari script with cow dung and soil on traditional jute (gunny) cloth on a ‘khattia’(cot). The second artist, Mrs Gopaul uses cut pieces of the traditional ‘pagri’(turban) of his grandfather to dress branches of a dried tree. Both explain the reasons for doing so and their love for the Bhojpuri Language and Culture. The analysis demonstrates how both traditional and contemporary art forms can help sustain intangible cultural heritage and identities. Both Artistic Expressions act as a Cultural Medium, serving as vital channels for expressing and preserving the Bhojpuri language and culture. Each artwork captures and communicates aspects of daily life, festivals, and historical narratives that might otherwise be lost or forgotten. This paper underscores the vital role art can play in giving visibility and continuity to marginalized linguistic and cultural traditions.