Cultural Transmission of India to South East Asia: From A Historical Perspective

The transmission of Indian culture to South East Asia is certainly one of the greatest achievements of Indian history. Indian influence in the South East Asian Peninsula dates back to 500 BCE. Kingdoms in the South East Coast of the Indian subcontinent had established trade, cultural and political relations with South East Asian kingdoms in Burma, Thailand, Indonesia, Malay peninsula, Cambodia and to have a lesser extent Vietnam. Accompanied with the mercantile class some Hindu priests and Buddhist monks assumed a leading role in spreading the message of Indian thought and culture to the entire South East Asian region. They travelled to faraway kingdoms like Cambodia and Indonesia in large members and India’s culture, religion and civilization spread to different parts of South East Asia. The kings of the regions wore Indian trade silk and brocade textiles during ceremonies, occasions and domed jewels imported from India. Indian religion, political thought, literature, mythology, artistic motifs and style were absorbed deeply into local culture as greater interaction with Indians who settled in the courts of South East Asia took place. This paper is an attempt to highlight the penetration of Indian culture to South East Asia and its influences on the cultural traits of South East Asia.