CH14. The Spread of Indian Culture in Other Asian Countries

• The spread of Indian culture and civilization to other parts of Asia is an important chapter in Indian history.

• India established commercial contacts with other countries from the earliest times.

• This led to the spread of Indian languages, religions, art and architecture, philosophy, beliefs, customs, and manners.

• Indian political adventurers established Hindu kingdoms in some parts of South East Asia.

• This expansion did not result in colonialism or imperialism in the modern sense.

• These colonies were free from the control of the mother country but came under Indian cultural influence.

Central Asia

• Central Asia was a major centre of Indian culture in the early centuries of the Christian era.

• Several monuments have been unearthed in the eastern part of Afghanistan.

• Khotan and Kashkar were important centres of Indian culture.

• Numerous Sanskrit texts and Buddhist monasteries were found in these places.

• Indian cultural influence continued in Central Asia until the eighth century.

• Indian culture spread to Tibet and China through Central Asia.

India and China

• China was influenced by both the land route through Central Asia and the sea route through Burma.

• Buddhism reached China at the beginning of the 1st century A.D.

• Several Chinese pilgrims, including Fahien and Hiuen Tsang, visited India.

• Hundreds of Buddhist monks such as Gunabhadra, Vajrabothi, Dharmadeva, and Dharmagupta visited China.

• Indian scholars translated many Sanskrit works at the request of Chinese emperors.

• Contacts between India and China continued until the 13th century during the Mongol empire in China.

• Chinese art was influenced by Indian art through these interactions.

India and Tibet

• Tibet was influenced by India from the 7th century.

• The famous Buddhist king Gampo founded the city of Lhasa and introduced Buddhism to Tibet.

• The Tibetan alphabet was devised with the help of Indian scholars.

• Indian scholars later helped establish Lamaism in Tibet.

• In the 11th century, the Pala dynasty of Bengal had close contacts with Tibet.

• When Bengal was attacked by Muslim rulers, many Buddhist monks sought shelter in Tibet.

India and Sri Lanka

• Despite different political history, Sri Lanka experienced great cultural influence from India.

• Buddhist missionaries spread both religious faith and cultural traditions to Sri Lanka.

• The art of stone carving was introduced to Sri Lanka from India.

• In the 5th century, Buddha Ghosha visited Sri Lanka and consolidated Hinayana Buddhism there.

• The famous paintings of Sigiriya were modeled on the Ajanta paintings.

Indian Culture in South East Asia

• Indian culture extended its influence over the South East Asian region, including the Malay Archipelago and Indo-China.

• These lands, located across the Bay of Bengal, were fertile and rich in minerals, attracting Indian interest.

• The east coast of India had numerous ports, facilitating frequent voyages to these regions by Indian traders.

• Ancient traditions mention voyages to Suvarnabhumi (the “land of gold”), referring to all countries of East Asia.

• Indians began to colonize East Asia during the Gupta period, with further encouragement by the Pallavas.

• Indian colonists established great kingdoms, some lasting over a thousand years.

• Several dynasties with Indian names ruled various parts of the region.

• Until the arrival of Islam in the 15th century, Indian culture dominated this region.

Cambodia (Kambhoja)

• Cambodia was colonized by Indians in the 1st century A.D.

• The native people were called the Khemers.

• The ruling dynasty was known as Kambojas, and their country was Kamboja (modern Cambodia).

• Under early rulers, Saivism and Vaishnavism steadily progressed.

• The Kamboja empire at its greatest extent included Laos, Siam, part of Burma, and the Malay peninsula.

• Numerous Sanskrit inscriptions provide detailed history of its kings.

• People of Cambodia were familiar with Hindu literary works like the Vedas, Ramayana, Mahabharata, Panini’s grammar, and Hindu philosophical treatises.

• Like the Pallava kings, rulers were called Varmans.

• Famous rulers include Yasovarman and Suryavarman II.

• Temples were built in South Indian (Dravidian) style.

• The most famous temple was the Angkorwat Temple, a Vishnu temple built by Suryavarman II in the capital city Angkor.

• The temple stands on a terraced structure with each terrace having covered galleries containing numerous relief sculptures.

• The sculptures depict episodes from the Ramayana and Mahabharata.

• The Kambhoja kingdom declined in the 15th century.

Champa

• Champa or South Annam is located to the east of Cambodia.

• The first Hindu dynasty in Champa was established by Sri Mara in the 2nd century A.D.

• Numerous Sanskrit inscriptions provide details about Champa’s history.

• Twelve Indian dynasties ruled over Champa.

• By the 13th century, Champa was annexed to Cambodia.

• Under Hindu rulers, Hindu religion, culture, customs, and manners were introduced in Champa.

• Both Saivism and Vaishnavism flourished in the region.

• Buddhism also co-existed alongside Hinduism.

• Various works on Hindu philosophy, grammar, fine arts, and astrology were composed.

Siam or Thailand

• Several states in Siam followed Indian culture.

• The Thai script was developed with the help of Indian scholars.

• Traditional laws of Siam were composed based on the model of Dharmasastras.

• Temples at Bangkok contain many sculptures depicting the Ramayana.

Sumatra and Java

• The Malay Archipelago was an important link between India and the Far East.

• Several Hindu kingdoms existed from the 5th to 15th centuries A.D.

• The most important Hindu kingdom in Sumatra was Sri Vijaya, a great centre of trade and culture in the 7th century.

• The Sri Vijaya kingdom developed into the powerful maritime and commercial Sailendra empire, controlling islands like Java, Bali, Borneo, and Cambodia.

• The Sailendra rulers were Mahayana Buddhists and maintained cordial relations with Indian kingdoms like the Palas of Bengal and the Cholas of Tamil Nadu.

• Rajaraja Chola allowed Sailendra king Maravijayottungavarman to build a Buddhist monastery at Nagapattinam.

• Rajaraja’s son, Rajendra Chola, temporarily conquered the Sailendra kingdom, but it later became independent again.

• The Sailendra empire lasted until the 11th century A.D.

• A Hindu kingdom was established in Java as early as the 4th century A.D.

• The kingdom of Mataram in Central Java was a strong centre of Hindu religion and culture.

• Mataram was conquered by the Sailendras but regained independence after the 9th century.

• Java flourished in art under Sailendra rule.

• The greatest monument of Indo-Java art is the Borobudur, built between 750-850 A.D. under Sailendra patronage.

• Borobudur is situated on a hill, with nine terraces crowned by a bell-shaped stupa on top.

• The terraces have open galleries containing about 2000 bas-reliefs illustrating Buddha’s life.

• Lower terraces are richly decorated, while upper terraces are plain.

• Borobudur is called an epic in stone and the most wonderful Buddhist stupa in the world.

• In the 12th century, eastern Java with Kadiri as capital became a leading kingdom.

• The 13th and 14th centuries marked the golden age of Javanese culture with Majapahit as the capital of a vast Javanese empire including neighboring islands.

• Indian art and literature flourished in Java more than anywhere else in the region.

• Ruins of hundreds of temples and Sanskrit manuscripts are found in Java.

• The Ramayana and Mahabharata were very popular and remain themes for Javanese shadow-play.

• The fall of Majapahit ended all artistic activity in Java.

Bali

• Bali came under the rule of Hindu dynasties as early as the 6th century.

• I-Tsing noted the prevalence of Buddhism in Bali during the 7th century.

• Stone and copper plate inscriptions indicate Bali was colonised directly from India.

• Later, Bali became subordinate to Java.

• The people of Bali continue to practice Hinduism.

• The caste system is still prevalent in Bali today.

Myanmar

• Cultural contacts between India and Burma (Myanmar) date back to the period of Asoka, who sent missionaries to preach Buddhism.

• Many Hindu kingdoms existed in Burma.

• Pali and Sanskrit were the languages of Burma till the 13th century.

• Both Hinayana and Mahayana Buddhism were practiced by the Burmese.

• For nearly 1500 years, Hindu kings ruled over numerous islands of the Malay Archipelago and the Indo-China peninsula.

• Indian religions and culture shaped the lives of the primitive inhabitants, elevating them to a higher level of civilization.