Ramroop Jugurnauth, a Mauritian civil servant, arrived here on Thursday on a mission close to his heart — to trace his ancestral roots in Odisha.

Soon after landing, he left for Jajpur, about 100km away, where his forefathers once lived.

“My detailed research on my family roots reveals that we are from Jajpur, and our village lies between the famous Maa Biraja temple and the Baitarani river on the outskirts of the town,” Ramroop told The Telegraph.

The word “Jugurnauth” itself, derived from “Jagannath”, inspires his quest. “I work in human resources. My interest in tracing my roots began in the 1990s. Later, I got the chance to visit Odisha for the first time in 2012. I came again in 2015 and 2019. This is my fourth visit. After each trip, I returned hopeful of finding my ancestors. Over the years, many well-wishers have come forward to help me reconnect with my lineage,” he said.

Sharing his family story, Jugurnauth, 64, said: “I am the fifth generation in the lineage headed by Jagannath Das, my Odia ancestor. His journey began on October 23, 1870, from the port of Calcutta. On that day, the ship Allum Ghier (as per archival records) set sail for Mauritius with 154 passengers and 49 crew members. The passengers were indentured labourers. That was a day before Deepavali, which means on the Deepavali day of 1870, he was sailing towards Mauritius. After a 34-day voyage, the ship reached Mauritius on November 26, and the passengers disembarked on November 30, 1870.”

He added that the passengers included people from Odisha, Bengal and Bihar. “You will find people from all over India in Mauritius. Their ancestors had gone there as labourers,” he said.

Jugurnauth further added: “Jagannath Das, my ancestor, was born in 1845 in a village around Jajpur. According to archival documents available in Mauritius, he was the son of Bandhu, and his next of kin (probably a brother) was Ramu. At 25, Jagannath embarked on his journey to Mauritius after being recruited by the British to work in the sugarcane fields as an indentured labourer.”

Ramroop said his ancestor married a Bengali immigrant named Luckhee, who came from Bancoorah (now Bankura in Bengal). “I started my roots search in 1991 after obtaining the immigration document from the MGI. Both Jagannath and Sattabajee left several written records confirming their Odia origin and religious nature. The search took time to take off,” he said.

“It’s my birthright to trace my roots,” Ramroop said. “During my second visit in 2015, I expressed my desire to set up a Jagannath temple in the Kalinga style of architecture in Mauritius. I also wish to establish an Odia association there. That year, I met Gajapati Maharaj, the (titular) king of Puri and first sevak of Lord Jagannath, and shared my feelings.”

On his arrival this time, Ramroop was given a warm welcome by members of the Biswa Odia Parivar in Bhubaneswar. “We are inspired by his journey and his determination to find his ancestors. We should never forget our past,” said Sajjan Sharma, a member of the organisation.

Ramroop Jugurnauth currently serves as manager (human resources) in the police department of Mauritius.