Tag: Vanisha Biltoo

A Letter From Mauritius, Garçon Biltoo, 29 October 1979

Subsequent to my visit to Mauritius in July & August 1979 to visit the Biltoo family, now documented at length on Ogblog…

…I received several letters from the good people I met there. My transcriptions of these letters received might dabble a little with the grammar and spelling but are largely verbatim transcriptions.

This one is from Garçon Biltoo, Anil’s uncle.

Janee and Garçon Biltoo

First my dictated transcription and then a scan of the airmail letter itself.

Dear Ian,

Hoping that you are well as well as your parents, as for us we are in good health.

We miss you a lot as well as Anil and think that you talk a lot about your first trip abroad. When you will pay us a visit, perhaps in a couple of years?

Geeta, Ratna and others send you their compliments and think to see you again among them. Manjula and Vanisha always talk about you and Anil., they ask me when you will come again. I always told them on the next plane.

Hoping that you have already developed all the films taken by you in Mauritius to show your family and friends over there.

The horse racing will be closed on the 4th of November 1979, it’s the last race on 4th of November 79 and will start anew in May 1980. Do come and we will make a lot of money. The last race held on 27th of October 79 one of the races was won by Karim Khan it cost Rs.30 to win Rs.500.

I just learnt from Anil that some thieves came into your house while your parents were absent And stole some clothes and jewels belonging to your dear mother. I am very sorry for it, but nevertheless the police will find the thieves and imprison them.

Have you already finished the good Rum Made In Mauritius which you brought with you. I hope that you made your friends taste it when you were celebrating your birthday. Anyway how is Anil? Does he always tease you or is he very pacific these days?

You will soon have school holiday, because Christmas and New Year is approaching. When you come to Mauritius you will have more money to your pound because our government devalued its money.

I leave you and say goodbye to you and your parents. I am going to write to Anil and his dad.

Love

Garçon

Several Farewell Parties, Palmar, Belle Mare & Rose Hill, Mauritius, 17 August 1979

An overview of my 1979 trip to Mauritius, courtesy of the wonderfully hospitable Biltoo family, can be found by clicking here or below:

Here is an extract from my “Remaining Journal”, which is in effect my diary entry for 17 August 1979 – my last diary entry written during the Mauritius trip.

Friday 17th of August 1979 –

Having stayed at Marraz’s, we went on a grand family picnic at Palmar (and Belle Mare). Had a terrific time there and in the evening we ended up with a sort of improvised party with Janee’s nephews, nieces and cousins. We stayed at Garçon’s last night, with a mind to finishing our shopping in Curepipe with the help the chauffeur.

Even now, with dozens of hotels along that coast, both Palmar and Belle Mare still have public beaches, where lovely people such as the Biltoos and their extended families might well still party, as we did.

This looks like Manjula’s belated birthday party. Whether this is the same as the “impromptu evening party” at the end of our trip or not I cannot be 100% sure, but based on other diary entries mentioning its postponement several times, I think it might well be
Manjula looks as though she has been at her daddy’s bottle of rum, but perhaps she was just tired out from all the excitement of the day.

Elements of the beach party – playing ball games, dancing, eating and generally having a good time – are charmingly recorded on cine film – to be seen towards the end of this video – c8:30 to c11:15

These gatherings/parties at the end of our stay were a highlight among many highlights for me – the culmination of unforgettable and life-forming experiences over five weeks in Mauritius.

Shopping With Ahalia, Then Dinner With The Biltoos And Goolys, 16 August 1979

An overview of my 1979 trip to Mauritius, courtesy of the wonderfully hospitable Biltoo family, can be found by clicking here or below:

Here is an extract from my “Remaining Journal”, which is in effect my diary entry for 16 August 1979.

Thursday 16th of August 1979 –

Went out shopping with Ahalia (bought a tablecloth and one or two gifts). Moved back to Marraz’s about noon, whiled away the afternoon and in the evening we had a dinner party there ( Garçon, Janee and kids, Narrain, Tiffin and most of their kids).

Standing Left To Right: Anil Gooly, Tiffin Gooly, Narrain Gooly…the other five are all Anil Gooly’s siblings

Same as above with Dat Biltoo, Me, Anil Biltoo and the family dog included. Goodness knows who took the picture. I’ll guess Marraz

Through A Rose Hill Coloured Glass Darkly, Mauritius, 8 August 1979

An overview of my 1979 trip to Mauritius, courtesy of the wonderfully hospitable Biltoo family, can be found by clicking here or below:

Here is an extract from my tenth letter, which is in effect my diary entry for 8 August 1979:

We returned to Garçon’s early, and went on another photogenic trip north, this time along the coast. It was a long trip, which helped Anil not one bit.

That afternoon and evening Anil slept and in the evening Bill, Garçon and Janee went to the pictures (French) and I stayed in alone.

Of course, one of the occasional electrical cuts had to happen that evening, and I didn’t know where the candles were. So I stumbled (literally) to the rear house (I’ll explain that better on my return) where they gave me some candles, and Sanjay (Janee’s nephew) came in to keep me company.

(Change of pen please maestro […my writing was getting faint…] – that’s better!!!)

He’s only 11, and speaks no English, so two hours of conversation with him in French was my first real attempt to get my rusty cogs in motion. He says my accent is good and that I speak very well!!! I’m not so sure.

I’m fairly sure Sanjay is the little fella front between Anil and Dutt. Vanisha on Anil and Dutt’s shoulders.

An Awful Lot Of Nothing Day, So An Excuse For Lots Of Family Photos, Souillac, Mauritius, 3 August 1979

An overview of my 1979 trip to Mauritius, courtesy of the wonderfully hospitable Biltoo family, can be found by clicking here or below:

Here is an extract from my eighth letter, which is in effect my diary entry for 3 August 1979:

Today yet again we did an awful lot of nothing, with nothing of note happening at all.

Tomorrow I think we’re going back into town for the afternoon or something; I don’t really know

I’ll use this “lot of nothing” day as an excuse to put up several pictures of the Biltoo family down south.

Anil, enjoying doing an awful lot of nothing
An awful lot of cards – Manjula, Anil and (guessing) the hand of Janee
Manjula and Vanisha
Janee and Garçon
I bet Janee really appreciated me taking this photo

Carrom, Dominoes, Children & Exploring, Souillac, Mauritius, 31 July 1979

An overview of my 1979 trip to Mauritius, courtesy of the wonderfully hospitable Biltoo family, can be found by clicking here or below:

Mauritius, July & August 1979, Overview, Summary and Picture Links

Here is an extract from my seventh letter, which is in effect my diary entry for daytime 31 July 1979:

Today, also, we spent the day playing Carrom, dominoes and with the children and exploring.


This week is supposed to be a lazy week, so there won’t be much to report I shouldn’t think. Plus don’t expect a letter within the next couple of days but in about a week, unless of course we do decide to do something worthy of report.

At the moment one of the kids is throwing a tantrum and my ears ache. But all in all I’m having a great time. So see you soon, lots of love, Ian.

I wonder whether it was Manjula or Vanisha in tantrum mode that day?

Left to right: Garçon, Manjula, Janee, Anil, Vanisha, Dat (Bill)