Exploring India-Indonesia cultural links

Exploring India-Indonesia cultural links

Joyeeta Dutta Ray, Contributor, Jakarta

On March 30 2005, the Jawaharlal Nehru Indian Cultural Centre
(JNICC) in collaboration with the University of Indonesia and
Bhaskara, held a seminar, "Confluence", a symposium on cultural
links between India and Indonesia.

Opened by former president Abdurrahman "Gus Dur" Wahid, and
Indian Ambassador HK Singh at Erasmus Huis Auditorium, South
Jakarta, several distinguished scholars were invited to
contribute. Below is a summary of the discussion:

Indian Ambassador HK Singh: Indonesia and India have had close
cultural ties spanning thousands of years. The process may have
commenced centuries before the beginning of the Christian era.
Jataka's stories of Buddhism refer to Swarnabhumi (Sumatra) and
in Valmiki's Ramayana, we find mention of Yuvadipa or Java.

Among the many abiding traditions of the age-old ties has been
the absorption of the two great Indian epics, the Ramayana and
Mahabharata, into the sociocultural fabric of Indonesia. The
renowned Indonesian tradition of puppetry, wayang, has tales from
the epics as the central motif. All ancient inscriptions found in
Indonesia up to 5th century A.D. are in Sanskrit, using the
Pallava script.

Cultural bonds were reinforced in more recent times through
Indian Nobel laureate Rabindranath Tagore in 1927. A shared
struggle against colonialism also strengthened bonds between
India and Indonesia in the recent past through the friendship
between president Sukarno of Indonesia and Prime Minister
Jawarharlal Nehru of India.

Dr. Somvir (Udayana University, Bali) on India and Indonesia
past and present: The relationship between India and Indonesia is
so integral that the two countries could not be completely
separated, socially, culturally or even geographically. The
recent tsunami is evidence of this, as it originated in
Indonesia and went on to wreak havoc on the shores of south
India.

Indonesia absorbed the three main religions of India --
Hinduism from ancient times, Buddhism in the medieval period and
Islam from twelfth century onwards. It is to be noted that the
transition and absorption was effected without any bloodshed
through a peaceful and cohesive process.

The historical relations between the two countries became
stronger when Rabindranath Tagore visited Java and Bali in 1927.
Raden Mas Noto Suroto, a Javanese writer, was so influenced by
Tagore that he named his eldest son Rawindra, after the great
Nobel laureate. Later, K.H. Dewantara, a famous educationalist
of Indonesia, established a school on the lines of Shanti Niketan
(founded by Tagore in West Bengal) called Taman Siswa in
Yogyakarta.

Dr. Budya Pradibta (University of Indonesia) on comparative
cultural observations: Via literature, the connection between the
two nations became warm and close. In Java, the influence of
Vedic Culture was very strong. But the Indian Vedic culture was
then "Javanized" and processed to take on the personality of
Java, finally becoming the property of the Javanese (known as
Javaaniseeringprosess by the Dutch)

One classic example is found in the Mahabharata. The female
character Draupadi (Drupadi in Java), who in India is said to
have been married to the five Pandavas -- Yudhisthira, Bhima,
Arjuna, Nakula and Sahadeva, in modern Java has only one husband,
Yudhishtira. The framework and personality of Javanese culture
could not accept Druapadi's polyandrous marriage.

There is a belief held by Indonesians that some of the events
of the Mahabharata and Ramayana took place in Indonesia. The
belief is not altogether without foundation. In the Valmiki
Ramayana, a verse is found in chapter 40 that translates to:
"Full of endeavor, you should go and scour Yuvadvipa (island of
Java), graced with seven kingdoms, as also the gold and silver
islands adorned with gold mines. Suvarnadvipa or island of gold
was the name for Sumatra, where even today there are gold mines.

Agus Aris Munandar (University of Indonesia) on art and
architecture: Many cultural aspects connected with religion
developed (in Indonesia) due to the acceptance of Hindu-Buddhist
religions. In sculpture and sacred buildings of old Java, the
creation was always constructed for religious necessity.

The architects were unknown because the architectural work was
considered communal work, dedicated for religious life in
society. The studies of Borobudur sculptures are an example of
this where the architect and the precise king who proposed to the
temple could not be traced.

When Indian culture was absorbed, the old Javanese society
started to recreate those cultures. The foreign elements could
not be accepted and replicated easily. In its development, the
architecture of Hindu-Buddhist sacred buildings in Java took on
their own characteristics that no longer retained similarities
with the originals.

Dr. Suryanto (Sanata Darma University, Yogyakarta) on cultural
ties between two educational systems:

There are many similarities between the Gurukula (Vedic Hindu
Indian Schools) and pondok pesantren (traditional Indonesian
Muslim schools).

The Gurukul system necessitated that students live away from
home, close to the teacher. Gurukul education formed the basis of
the brahmachari asrama (celibate student life). For 12 years, the
initiated student had to lead an ascetic life and memorize the
Vedas.

Teachers of the Vedic age were men of the highest caliber of
knowledge and spiritual progress. Gurus tried to develop the
quality of students, building character as much as education.

In Indonesia, similarly, the most traditional educational
institutions -- the pondok pesantren -- are based purely on the
ancient Islamic teachings of kitab salf (sacred classical texts).
A charismatic leader, the kiai, who is often the absolute
authority, guides the pondok pesantren.

Dr. Peter Ferdinandus (ASDEP, Urusan Arkeologi Nasional,
Jakarta) on India's impact on Indonesian musical instruments: By
legend and tradition Indian music has its roots in the Veda, with
a 3,000-year-old tradition. But classical music in Indian culture
may be considered religious rather than secular.

When Buddhism and Hinduism penetrated into Indonesia, the new
religions brought with them a new wave of musical traditions. A
variety of music and instruments were introduced then, like the
conch or sankha, used both as a trumpet and for religious
purposes (to frighten away bad spirits).

Temple music in the ninth and 10th centuries shifted to the
royal courts in the 11th century, and played an important role in
society through distribution at all levels of society, including
rural areas.

Richadiana Kartakusuma (ASDEP, Urusan Arkeologi Nasional,
Jakarta) on the influence of Hinduism-Buddhism on Javanese
culture and society:

Hindu-Buddhist cultural elements that came into Indonesian
society invariably underwent further development. Such diffusion
of cultural elements was not a mechanical process. Societies may
both accept or reject new cultural elements, depending on whether
the new elements fit into the receiving culture.

The potency to create something specific out of foreign
material has been designated "local genius". It goes to show how
successful the Javanese have been in interacting with Indians who
mingled without any violence and in reacting to the challenges of
nature.