Decades later, Mauritius native seeks bloodline connections in Odisha’s Jajpur

The age-old bond between the soil and humans has found a living testament in Ramrup Jagurnath, a resident of Mauritius, who has travelled thousands of kilometers to trace his ancestral roots in Odisha's Jajpur. His forefathers, known as Jagannath, were taken from Jajpur to Mauritius as slaves during the British colonial period, and his family has been settled there for generations.

Despite having never met his ancestors or knowing their exact location in Jajpur, Ramrup has embarked on a journey of discovery. At the Siddheshwar Ghat of the Baitarani River, he performed last rites and pindadaan rituals for his forefathers’ remains, symbolically reconnecting with his ancestral land.

He has made this journey from Mauritius to Jajpur four times, and this time feels a strong calling from the s