For thousands of years, the ocean's waves have pounded me, breaking me into small pieces to form the golden sand of Mauritius's beautiful beaches. The beaches and the peaceful lagoon attract tourists from many countries, such as Réunion Island, France, England, Germany, Italy, India, South Africa, Australia and other countries. The locals spend wonderful days beside the sea during the holidays and especially on Sundays. The beaches teem with Catholics during Easter and with Hindus celebrating Ganesh, Chaturthi and Ganga Asnan in the seawater. Even school excursions are not complete without a trip to the sea.
My top part with its flowers of every colour shows us the sea life in a healthy environment. My two fish-shaped eyes are a gold mine for fishermen. My shell-shaped mouth is used by the Hindu priest to produce a divine sound by blowing into one end. The multicolour anemones forming my hair offer a scene of enchanting beauty in a world of silence. Several sea animals can find a shelter all around me. The polyps live in the clear warm water of the sea, but not in the river mouths due to the polluted water that flows through the rivers after the heavy rains.
As a result, the sea pollution caused by man with his solid and liquid waste will destroy the proliferation of animal and plant life on the sea bed. If that happens, the polyps will cease to exist, and so will I. The huge waves will pound the beaches, and holidays, tourism, feasts, religious ceremonies and fishing will be a thing of the past.
Who am I? I am the coral!
