http://www.thejakartapost.com/community/india8.asp

SOME FAMOUS INDONESIANS OF INDIAN DESCENT


Anand Krishna, a spiritual guru who taught his pupils to attain holisitic health through meditation


Marimutu Sinivasan, ethnic-Tamil CEO of giant textile, machinery, and otomotive manufacturer Texmaco Group


Harbrinder Singh Dillon, ethnic-Sikh agricultural expert and pundit


Raam Punjabi, ethnic-Punjabi owner of Multivision Group who produces most of Indonesia's soapies (sinetron). He is criticised of Bollywoodising Indonesian entertainment industry (high quantity, low quality).


Chand Parvez Servia, ethnic-Sindhi film and sinetron producer, famous for producing controversial movie "Virgin".

Tamil-Indonesians celebrated Theemethi Festival in Sri Mariamman Temple grounds at Pancurbatu, eleven kilometres south of Medan - North Sumatera. There's approximately 300,000 Tamils living in Indonesia, mostly in North Sumatera.

Kampung Keling: Economic symbiosis in Medan's Chinese-Indian enclave

Apriadi Gunawan

Medan, North Sumatra, is known for its sharp racial distinctions between native Batak, Chinese, Indian and Malay ethnic groups. Ironically, one of the city's most prominent areas, Kampung Keling, or Little India, has evolved to become an example of racial harmony between the ethnic Chinese and the once predominant Indian community

Its almost lunch time. A 70-year-old woman of Tamil descent named Kolina stands busily chopping fruit and vegetables in front of her run-down house.

Strangers passing by might ask themselves why is she doing such work outside the house, and not in her kitchen.

Kolina smiles each time someone asks her this familiar question. With a touch of embarrassment, she admits that this has been her habit for over two decades, simply because her small dwelling has no kitchen.

Like many of her neighbors of Indian descent in Kampung Kubur, Madras subdistrict, in the North Sumatra provincial capital of Medan, she's accustomed to the hard life. Her house is similar to those around it. Small four-walled dwellings packed in narrow lanes that are no more than a few meters wide.

Kampung Kubur is so named for the simple reason that it is adjacent to a cemetery.

For people like Kolina, the narrow lane not only functions as a path to reach the "outside world" but also the place where daily chores are carried out.

Her house is just 4 meters by 6 meters, barely sufficient for a bedroom and makeshift living room. Inside, there is no fancy furniture, not even a TV set. The most noticeable features are a few pictures representing Hindu gods hung on the wall.

"I don't have the money to fill my house with expensive items. I have had to make do by myself since my husband died 10 years ago," said the childless Kolina.

To keep her company, Kolina considers her nephew as her own child. But much of the 15-year-old's material needs are still provided by his biological parents.

To make ends meet, Kolina sometimes washes clothes for an ethnic Chinese family living in this "Indian village". She receives about Rp 100,000 per month for her toil.

Even though the area -- dubbed Kampung Keling -- is known as Little India, fate has made it common for the predominantly ethnic Indians to seek employment with ethnic Chinese families who over time have come to dominate the location economically.

The local area head, Raunandas, said that despite once being the predominant ethnic group in the area, the ethnic Indians have long been seeking employment with the ethnic Chinese. Most of them perform menial work such as serving as maids, washerwomen or security guards.

Kampung Keling is considered the original home of Medan's ethnic Indian community. They are mainly the descendants of South Indians who came to work in the plantations of North Sumatra in the late 1800s. A prominent reminder of the South Indian heritage in the area is the Sri Mariamman temple, which was built in 1881 for the goddess Kali. The names of the streets in the area also once reflected the origin of those living there -- Calcutta, Nagapatam, Bombay Streets.

Another feature of the area is the Khalsa school, located adjacent to the temple. The school was once famous for being the only English language school in the city.

According to Raunandas, the ethnic Chinese started becoming more noticeable in the area in the 1950s when the Indian residents fell on hard times and started selling their houses. This also resulted in a diaspora of the original Indians from the area to the outskirts of Medan.

Raunandas, who himself is ethnic Indian and has lived in the area all his life, claims that after years of living together there is no longer any sense of shame in having to depend for their livelihoods on Chinese families -- latecomers to the area.

It is an historical fact, said the 58-year-old, that the Indians are at an economic disadvantage.

"The Indians are poor while the Chinese are always rich. If there are poor Chinese, they're very rare. Everyone accepts that," he remarked.

The pattern has thus been set. The ethnic Indians rule the small rows of houses and pathways hidden behind the more prominent two-story buildings on the main streets, which the Chinese use as both shops and homes.

The demography has also changed according to the latest census, with the ethnic Chinese outnumbering the 500 ethnic Indian families three-to-one.

According to one local elder, Naran Sami, Kampung Keling, which was originally called Patisah, changed its name to Kampung Madras to reflect the South Indian origin of those living in the 10-hectare area. But because the South Indians were mostly people of dark skin, the name Keling -- a slang word for darker skin -- became more popular.

What attracted them to the area was the presence of the Sri Mariamman temple, which today has become one of Medan's tourist attractions.

What makes the area unique is that at a time when Indonesia has been witnessing numerous communal conflicts, Kampung Keling, despite the divergence of race, religion and economic status of its inhabitants, has remained a peaceful place for its residents, irrespective of their ethnicity.

This peaceful understanding and cohabitation did not occur overnight, and it required years of mutual tolerance by all sides before a level of "comfort" could be attained.

As one resident put it, the two groups came from "different worlds", with each considering itself different from the other.

Exclusivity

One obstacle, according to Naran Sami, was the "exclusive" way in which the ethnic Chinese conducted their lives, making little effort to approach their Indian neighbors.

"Till today, the ethnic Chinese maintain highly exclusive lifestyles. They only engage with their own kind, rarely with people like us," he lamented.

This is felt deeply when an ethnic Indian dies.

"Rarely will we see them (the ethnic Chinese) pay their respects," he added.

"You also don't see a Chinese taking part in community volunteer work, or the neighborhood watch at night."

These feelings of jealousy persist. Fortunately, the cordial nature in which the two groups handle their differences -- highlighted by a symbiotic need of (economic) convenience -- has prevented negative feelings from spilling over into rage.

It is not a perfect relationship, nor one that is at all equal. But a symbiosis has naturally developed that has helped encourage a peaceful understanding among residents.

They have come to accept, albeit not necessarily like, the way the other lives. Despite their exclusivity, the ethnic Chinese are known for their generosity in providing "donations" when sought.

When a part of the area was burned down, the ethnic Chinese distinguished themselves by their generosity.

Riots

As far as Naran Sami remembers, in the six decades he has lived in Kampung Keling, he has never encountered any ethnic-based flare-ups. Even when parts of Medan were gripped by racial rioting in 1998, Kampung Keling remained relatively safe. In fact it was the ethnic Indians who prevented outsiders from attacking their Chinese neighbors.

Though still rare, there has also been an increasing number of mixed marriages between ethnic Indian and Chinese people.

One man who can attest to conditions there is Lukman Ahin, an ethnic Chinese who has resided in Kampung Keling since 1938 when he was just three years old.

Moving from the town of Tebing Tinggi, North Sumatra, Lukman's parents opened a repair shop in Kampung Keling, at a time when there were less than 100 ethnic Chinese families living there. Most other Chinese families sold household supplies.

He has since taken over the family business and turned it into an auto repair shop. Lukman claims that he has had little difficulty in dealing with his racially different neighbors.

"Frankly, this place is my little piece of heaven. I feel safe living and working in this Indian village," said the father of three, while adding that "they (the ethnic Indians) are our protectors".

Free from troublesome harassment, Lukman's business has prospered, allowing him to send his children to university.

Lukman may smile at his good fortune, but just a few meters away Kolina can only look forward to further toil for a pittance and hope for some charity from her more affluent neighbors.

Sri Mariamman Temple in Kampung Keling district of Medan - North Sumatera, built in 1884 by Tamil immigrants to worship Goddess Kali
http://members.virtualtourist.com/m/2da47/10aa4e/

Interesting. My mom is from Medan, though she lived there in a short periode, she knows this condition. Hmm..does she feel strange knowing the fact that she's married my dad who has a bit Indian blood..? I guess I shud ask her abt it.

Wow.. so you are mixed Chinese, Dutch, Batak Karo, and Indian..

And what abt you Mas Pur, was the neighbours dog involved....???? Or not

kinda...
My dad is fully gado-gado. He has Karonese, Acehnese, Dutch, Indian blood.
On contrary, my mom is full Chinese but Indonesian in her heart.
Technically my dad considers himself as a Karonese.

furan: so you're half chinese? interesting.. I understand a bit of cantonese thanx to my chinese friends here in malaysia..

^ I don't understand Cantonese/Mandarin at all

Those Tamils in Medan could make a pretty good living by charging protection money from the chinese.

"The demography has also changed according to the latest census, with the ethnic Chinese outnumbering the 500 ethnic Indian families three-to-one."

lol from little india to chinatown.

Yup, those Tamils won't be able to protect those chinese much longer.

lol thats ok, nobody really cares about indonesia. Chinese there are just doing what Chinese do. we do it in every single country, we do it everywhere. if these guys are getting killed for it, well thats their problem. they can either fight back, or leave and take indonesias economy with them.

however, one day, when China actually starts recognizing indonesia, there will be ALOT more Chinese going there, once even more Chinese go, it will call for a Chinatown. once a Chinatown is set up, triads flock to it to extablish control, once the triads get in, there wont be any need for protection.

Hey buffoon, China already recognises Indonesia since Indonesia gained independence in 1945. The Indonesian Chinese community is already the biggest overseas Chinese population in the world (12 million people). Since there are more ethnic-Chinese in Indonesia than there are people in Hong Kong, our country is not short of ethnic-Chinese at all.

About triads, there were pretty powerful Chinese triads in Medan from Dutch colonial era up until the 1960s (mostly running smuggling rings and opium dens), when all Chinese triad bosses were killed or put to jail and their turf taken over by native Batak gangs (Pemuda Pancasila) backed by the military. So, there is no hope for Chinese triads to compete with military-backed gangs.

Additionally, in these post-Suharto days ethnic-Chinese in Indonesia has no need to pay "protection money" to these gangs unless they are doing something illegal like gambling, prostitution, or smuggling. There is no need to pay any "protection money" if you run a legitimate business, the police (or hiring private security guards if you have large premises) is more than enough.

I don't think there are any Tamil triads in Indonesia, they are not that numerous so Tamils mostly remained loyal law-abiding citizens of Indonesia. Which is a smart move, several Tamils (Marimutu Sinivasan and Marimutu Manimaren), even managed to become close cronies of former Indonesian president Suharto.


Marimutu Sinivasan, ethnic-Tamil conglomerate and close Suharto crony

you know, i would LOVE to see some sources on all this stuff you talk about.

i was actually talking about that specific place, the little india or w/e, not the country as a whole. you dont get it do you...

this issue is about something thats already won. Chinese already own most of indonesias economy. the race riots and stuff are just jealous people. its like, the game is over and the guy who lost is just bytching now. lol the Chinese dont need to do anything back to them. but the indonesians should be careful, because if the Chinese did leave and take their businesses, that would really fuk indonesias economy up.

^ typical racist Chinese superiority bullcrap. Obviously you know nothing about indonesia. Lemme give you quick tutorial to improve your knowledge, boy:

1) The race riots of 1998 has everything to do with the fall of Suharto, mostly because the country was bankrupted by a few corrupt ethnic-Chinese cronies of Suharto.

2) Indonesian economy is NOT dominated by ethnic-Chinese. Such misconcpetion arose because ethnic-Chinese mainly works in the retail sector, hence they have higher visibility than other ethnic groups in Indonesia.



3) Most Chinese-Indonesians like myself, have been thoroughly Indonesianised though acculturisation and intermarriage woth other Indonesian ethnic groups. So it is very difficult for ethnic-Chinese to emigrate from Indonesia because of very strong cultural and blood links with Indonesia. Expecting us to move away from Indonesia so easily is like expecting African-Americans to return to Africa with no difficulties. Most Chinese-Indonesians viewed themselves as Indonesians with equal rights and responsibilities like Indonesians from the other 700+ ethnic groups that lived in our country. We don't subscribe to bull$hit backward ideas of racism that puny-minded people like you espouse.

you didnt disprove anything, i never said it was 70%. and just because Chinese dont own as much of the economy as thought (which btw was kinda weird anyways...70% is mind boggling) they still have a huge significance.

im still right, if the Chinese were to leave, it would still fuk indonesias economy up. of course they probably wont so theres no way to prove it.

for now, China has other things to worry about then you guys. besides, you should know theres a difference between Chinese and true Chinese. its actually not as nationlistic or w/e as it sounds. quite simply true Chinese retain their culture and pride no matter what. according to you, you havent. you yourself said your indonesianised.

Your triad just good for smuggling chinese women becoming prostitutes and smuggling drugs.
In Jakarta your triad pawned by aborigin javanese rioters in 1998. In Medan, Sumatra pawned by Batak.

Triad? dude you know nothing about Indos.
Chinese in Indonesia looking for pretection using Triad?

Thugs in Medan are local youth. Tamil charging protection money? you making joke.

This is the same crap chinese keep repeating. Chinese actually good making money by corruption with their cronies Soeharto after they rich then they claiming own most of Indonesia economy. Good riddance.

Didn't I tell everyone previously if chinese owned most of Indonesia economy why Indonesia right now in better shape after most of those chinese run away in 1998 riot.

LOLZ actually Chinese President Hu Jintao has visited Indonesia three times since 2002, and his PM Wen Jiabao visited Indonesia twice, signing MOU of Chinese investments in Indonesia worth more than $ 15 billion. Meanwhile, our President SBY has visited China only once, because he's got other things to worry than China.

Talking about Indonesianisation, there is this curious case of an imprisoned ex-triad boss from Medan who converted to Islam in jail, and after being released after 20 years in prison, he made a career change from gangster to an Islamic preacher. Due to the fact that he is ethnic-Chinese, and an ex-triad boss to boot, he gained some kind of celebrity status in Indonesia. He got lucrative income from being invited to preach in mosques all over Indonesia, and even to Malaysia and Singapore. His name is Anton Medan (Tan Hok Liang aka Haji Rahman Effendie).


Anton Medan (Tan Hok Liang), ex-triad boss turned Islamic preacher

Interesing link about Indians in Indonesia:

http://www.indoindians.com/

But, mas Nus, the Indonesians in power also corrupt. So it's not really the race then....

Chinese, Dayaks, Indians, Acehnese, Bataks, Javanese, Banjars, Papuans, Balinese, Europeans, Sundanese, Minahasas, Malays...

... all are INDONESIANS!!!

Why do we keep on bickering about all the differences?!? Why don't we try to unite, GDI!!

Is there any specific Indonesian ethnic?? NO!!

geez!

very true! ice 101 for u

I never knew there were that many indians in Indo..

Yes it's good to know that Indonesians are anti-Indian and jealous of the economic power Indians and chinese have over locals.

^ If you go to Fatmawati Street (near D'Best supermarket), you can find heaps of carpet shops owned by new immigrants from India and Pakistan.

On Q-TV, I saw this show hosted by a recent Indian immigrant journalist Priya Tuli called "India Talks", where each week she interviewed a successfull recent Indian migrants in Indonesia who mostly have been in Indonesia for 10-30 years. Since they interviewed different persons each week, I assume there are lots of new Indian immigrants to Indonesia even up to today.

oops, i was referring to xxryochanxx's post, not yours, vikas

actually, just because the Chinese PM visited indonesia more doesnt mean anything really. he visits alot of countries, this is more for showing the world that China is friendly or w/e rather then specifically indonesia.

dont be mad just because indonesians cant even hold onto their country from immirants! your ONLY comeback is, they are indonesians too. not ethnically they arent. so you cant take credit for the immigrants work in the economy, when you guys had stupid race riots.

basically im saying, you cant take credit from imigrants when you have race riots, so you cant say they are indonesian. you cant switch sides just to make a point in an arguement lmao.

I AM ethnic-Chinese, you morono

so!? when are you going to get it, that means nothing. it doesnt matter who says it!

you cant have race riots, then go and say they are indonesians and take credit for the work they do. YOU ARE A MORONO

When are you going to get it, morono? Chinese-Indonesians don't give a damn about your anti-Indonesian hatred, you're just some confused foreign boy.

Indonesians valued your comments as worthless, like Chinese would value Indonesian comments in running China's internal affairs. For instance the ex-triad boss realised that there is no future in Indonesia for crazy Chinese chauvinists like you, that's why he decided to switch his career into an Islamic preacher.

in other words i won, you lost, im right, your wrong. HAHA FUKN HA! im done with this now. theres nothing else to say.

poor little boy 2

Ramayana to films, Indonesia still loves India


The ties between Indonesia and India date back to the times of the Ramayana, writes Somvir


Indonesia is an idyllic getaway that gives visitors a peep into a synthesis of many religions

The recent visit of the Indonesian President, Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, opened a new chapter in the relations between Indonesia and India. The president’s name is of Sanskrit origin.

India’s success in technology, sustainable economy and education has impressed Indonesia. An Indian cultural centre has been set up in the resort island of Bali. Similarly, Balinese Hindus are building a Hindu temple in native architectural style on the banks of the Ganges at Rishikesh. The relationship between India and Indonesia is deep-rooted. Since centuries, the people of Java and Sumatra have welcomed Indians who came to the islands for trade.

The stories of the Ramayana and the Mahabharata integrate both the countries. The epics have also played a pivotal role in the history of Indonesia and besides being a part of its unique culture, they have also achieved great popularity in the socio-political life of Indonesia.

Even today, in the open theatre of the Prambanan in Java, Muslims perform the Ramayana during full moon nights. This should serve as a reminder strength of its own religious and cultural roots.

During the rule of King Sriwijaya, many Indonesians went to Nalanda University in India. Roughly 1,000 years before the beginning of the Christian era, Indian contacts had been established. Swarnabhumi (Sumatra) finds mention in Jataka stories while there is reference to ‘Yava Dwipa’ or Java in the Ramayana. The cult of sage Agastya was well developed in Java and we find his statue at the famed Prambanan temple. The wave of Hinduism was predominant throughout Java and it was not just exclusively Saivism. The Mahayana of Buddhism, as a separate and integral cult, belongs mainly to the period of Sumatran rule in Central Java. Even at that time, it was a Tantric form which later became increasingly so in Nepal, Cambodia and Bali.

In Bali, Buddhism and Saivism were inseparably combined. After Agastya’s visit to Java, Sage Markandeya followed and laid the foundation of the mother temple in Besakih, Bali.

Majapahit the last kingdom of Hindus established their suzerainty over Palembang and Pahang in Sumatra, and over Malay from Singapore to Kedah and Trenggan. But we do not find any documented history between India and Indonesia after 1400. The two countries also show a similar pattern in architecture.

Earliest Sanskrit inscription found in Annam is dated to 200 A.D. It seems that before the 5th century, contacts began with India. Indian immigrants in the Malay Archipelago are still called Kaling in Medan, Indonesia. It is a survival of the name Kalinga, by which the inhabitants of Orissa were once known.

In old Javanese language, we find roughly around 30 per cent Sanskrit words, which shows the close connection between India and Indonesia. When Arab and Chinese trade flourished, Bali began to form close links with Java. Javanese culture had developed based on old Indian traditions that were Indonesian in essence. The old Javanese language became a vehicle of the classic epics.

All ancient inscriptions found in Indonesia up to 5th century are in Sanskrit and the Pallava script has been used.

It is interesting that Indonesia absorbed the three main religions of India: Hinduism from ancient times; Buddhism in the medieval period; and Islam from the 12th century onwards. Indian traders, mainly from Gujarat, introduced Islam into Sumatra. By the 15th century, Islam had spread all over Java.

It is to be noted that the transition and absorption of diverse religions was effected without any bloodshed. When Islam came to Indonesia from Gujarat, India herself was under Mughal rule and the philosophy of Sufism practised in India had a similar impact on Indonesia.

The cultural influence of Islam in India is in evidence in the prevalence of Sufi mysticism and folk art and poetry where Hindu and Muslim traditions blend. Similarly in Indonesia, there is a confluence of Islam and Javanese culture.

The relations between India and Indonesia underwent a bleak phase from the 15th to the 20th centuries. Rabindranath Tagore visited Java and Bali in 1927. Tagore stayed for two weeks in Bali and was all praise for Balinese Hinduism.

It is just not religion and culture that have brought Indonesia and India together. Even today, one can find people humming Kuch kuch hota hai. Bollywood films and songs are part of the young modern Indonesians’ entertainment fare. — IANS

(The writer is a visiting lecturer of Indian culture and Vedic philosophy
at the Faculty of Letters, Udayana University, Bali)

http://www.tribuneindia.com/2005/20051211/spectrum/main2.htm

This is a funny statement. How do you guys, Indians in India and Chinese in China regard the Indians and Chinese in Indonesia as parts of your own? Just too oversimplified.. To me, Indians and Chinese in Indonesia are INDONESIANS.

Triads are weak, i saw an episode of "Cops" here in the states where they went to Hong Kong and busted a group of Triads in a hotel room. The triads didnt even resist. streetgangs from Chicago are much more intimidating

Jakarta's Sikh community thrives and grows
Anissa S. Febrina, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta


SHARING A MEAL: A communal feast of Indian cuisine during Sunday's Sikh celebration of religious founder Guruk Nanak's birthday. (JP/ Anissa S. Febrina)

The sound of the kirtan (religious hymn) broke the morning silence in a Sikh temple in Central Jakarta's Pasar Baru.

Shortly after, men and women in colorful dress began swarming the place, sitting on the brown carpet after kneeling before the shrine of Sikhism's founding father Guru Nanak.

A culmination of a three-day marathon reading of their holy book, the Guru Granth Saheb, Sikhs came from all over Greater Jakarta to end their week-long commemoration of Guru Nanak's 537th birth anniversary or jayanti with hymns, prayers and a feast.

"After we finished the reading, all people here ended the ritual by conducting a closing prayer or ardas," said the 21-year-old assistant to the preacher, Mandip Singh, on the sidelines of Sunday's ceremony.

Living in a cultural and ethnic melting pot like Jakarta, it is a communal gathering like this that reminds Sikhs of their roots and beliefs.

As Christmas Day is to the Christians and Idul Fitri is to the Muslims, on this special day men, women, teenagers and children get together in one of the largest Sikh temples among the five in the city.

The birthday of the founding father of Sikhism, Guru Nanak, is one of the most sacred days of the Sikh calendar, cherished by Sikhs all over the world.

On the day of the festival itself the holy book is carried out of the temple in a procession, covered with wreaths of flowers and accompanied by panj piare ("the beloved five", or five baptized assistants of the preacher) carrying nishan sahib, the Sikh flag.

Sikhism, a spiritual teaching merging mostly Hindu and Islamic values, was founded in the 15th century by Nanak, a man born to a warrior-caste family.

His teachings explicitly rejected both the cruel social systems of Hinduism and the theocracy of Islam, forming instead another path, built on the virtues of the good life of the householder and of praising the One God, according to a Web site on Sikh beliefs.

With such a universal teaching, he soon found a large number of adherents who joined together in common congregations and brought peace to India's fractured society.

They were called the Sikhs, the "students" or "seekers of Truth".

Among his famous teachings, he states: "All people are children of the same Father, do not divide them into Hindus and Muslims."

To this date, there are around 23 million Sikhs spread throughout the world, including some 1,000 members of the Pasar Baru temple which was established in 1955.

The Sikh temple conducts daily meetings for the disciples of Sikhism. Besides serving as a place of worship, it functions as an important community center for the Sikhs.

"The numbers in our congregation are increasing as more and more people (Indians) are coming to Jakarta," said 22-year-old Karanbeer Singh.

Baptized in their teens, Mandip and Karanbeer are among the younger generation of panj piare.

Upon receiving the amrit or the sweetened water as a symbol of baptism, a Sikh is supposed to resist material desires.

"That is also the point when we are no longer allowed to cut our hair. The philosophy is that God creates us with ever-growing hair and thus we should not reject it," Mandip explained.

During the ceremony, Mandip and Karanbeer were dressed in the yellow panj piare attire, along with black turbans to cover their hair.

Done with the morning ceremony, people can enjoy a free meal consisting of several traditional dishes.

"What must always be on the menu is this bread and dhal (split pea curry). The two are like an inseparable pair," said Rabinder Singh, who attended to the guests of the ceremony.

The dishes are cooked by members of the congregation in a kitchen at the back of the temple.

Sikhs hold this meal in the spirit of seva (service) and bhakti (devotion).

"We provide this kind of meal every day for anyone who needs it. For free," Rabinder said.

To put it in the words of Guru Nanak "the best way to worship God and to please Him is to sincerely serve all people irrespective of their faith, caste, color or race."

Nice to see cultural diversity going on!

how many is the population of Indians Living in Indonesia?

I read somewhere it is around 500,000.

I know some of them are selling sari fabrics in the marketplaces

Indonesia used to be a cultural colony of India

you don't know what you're saying

seriously

we're the 2nd fastest growing economy in the world why do we need those 2

we rather look down upon them and indonesia the ones we conquered with our culture and now they dont want to recognize
even islam is brought to indonesia by the gujarati muslims

i feel sorry for you seriously

lol

even chinese look down upon you

china in india will dominate the world again

religion, hinduism , buddhism and islam were introduced in indonesia by indians
-language , alot of indian words are being used in your bahasa (bhasa in indian)
-music, tablas and other indian instruments are used in indonesian music
-names, alot of indonesian use hindu, indian 1st and last names even though theyre muslim
-bali, bali is a hindu island maybe the hinduism is different , hinduism came from india
-flm, bollywood films are very popular ,the owner of cinetron is an indian by the way
-fact india culturally dominated south east asia for centuries
plays wayang puppets play usually hindu eposus, mahabharata or ramayana

do I need to go on? pls do some research instead of making such dumb statements
pakistan and sri lanka look down upon us? hahahahahahahaahahaa
its rather the other way around as we are the 2nd fastest growing economy in the world!

we can kill pakistan and sri lanka in a second



first century AD. Around the same time, the region established trade between both India and China. Fostered by Indonesia’s strategic sea-lane position, trade continued to be one of the most important influences on the country’s history.

It was upon this trade, and the Hinduism and Buddhism that was brought with it, that the Sriwijaya kingdom flourished from the seventh century AD. It became a powerful naval state, growing wealthy on the international trade it controlled through the region until its decline in the twelfth century. During the eighth and tenth centuries AD, the agriculturally-based Buddhist Sailendra and Hindu Mataram dynasties thrived and declined in inland Java with grand monuments built, including Borobudur and Prambanan respectively. The Hindu Majapahit kingdom was founded in eastern Java in 1294, and under its military commander Gajah Mada stretched over much of modern day Indonesia in 1350. This period is referred to as a "Golden Age" in the country’s history

The Sailendra mobilized labor across the boundaries of each basin by the use of symbolic power associated with the use of Hindu and Buddhist rituals including Sanskrit inscriptions, an Indianized court and the construction of a kraton, temples and monuments.


[edit] History
The dynastic name assigned by historians, Sailendra, from Saila-Indra meant "lord of the mountain". That title was probably chosen to recall the title sailaraja (king of the mountain) used by the kings of Funan, from whom the dynasty claimed descent. The title appears frequently in Sailendra epigraphy. It is not necessarily the name used by the ruling lineage. The Srivijayan rulers frequently described themselves as Sailendra in India for reasons which are not well understood


Gujarati Muslims from India brought Islam to Indonesia]] in the late twelfth century, establishing settlements in the Aceh region. It spread across the Indonesian archipelago, following trade routes. Rather than a violent conquest, it was, for the most part, peacefully laid over and mixed with existing cultural and religious influences shaping what is still the predominant form of Islam in Indonesia, particularly in Java.

Oh please don't start again! One topic is enough to debate about Indian culture in Indonesia! Please stay in the topic and if you want to argue go to the "Why are Indo obsessed with Eurasians?" topic. Please.

ok I will

my last words on this topic

don't forget:

The Majapahit Empire was an Indianized kingdom based in eastern Java from 1293 to around 1500. Its greatest ruler was Hayam Wuruk, whose reign from 1350 to 1389 marked the empire's peak when it dominated other kingdoms in the southern Malay Peninsula, Borneo, Sumatra, Bali, and the Philippines.

The Majapahit empire was the last of the major Hindu empires of the Malay archipelago.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Majapahit