INDIAN CULTURAL INFLUENCE OUTSIDE INDIA
(This essay was written when I was a tenth standard student in 1973. The introductory part and conclusions are missing. The reference section is not professional. This essay won the 2nd prize in a State level Essay Competition held by Ramakrishna Mission �Narendrapur, W. Bengal, India. I think that if I have written the Essay today some of the material would have been presented differently. For ** see at the end of the article.)
The base of Indian culture is " unity in diversity ". Indian culture is formed by the fusion of the above** groups, Tibetto-Chinese, Sakas, Huns, Persians and dashes of many known and unknown groups culture. The Indian culture depict not violence but "intellect � intellect chastened "1. The channel of thought and culture of Indians is "higher realisation of life "2, not materialistic fascination but " spiritual quest ". Not to be conservative and intolerant of others idea are the other aspects of our culture. Religion at all ages influenced Indian culture.
" Santam, Shivam, Advaitam " is the ground floor of our cultural building.
From the Ramayana it is known that Sugriba, the brother of the King of Kiskindha traveled all over the world. He went to the coast of Red Sea, to Java, to the South Pole etc. places2. It is clear from this that these places were known to the Indians when the Ramayana was composed.
Seals made in Mahenjodaro and Harrappa are founds in Mesopotamia. An Indian vessel of the time of Indus-Valley civilisation has been found in the grave of the Pharaoh Abidos3.
Invited by the Tibetan monarch philosopher Padashambhaba went to Tibet. He was the introducer of the "Lama " idea. In " Lohbrak " a " Vihara " (monastery) was constructed in Nalanda�s style. Long before the birth of Christ India had cultural connection with China. Beside Indian religious, fine arts, sculpture, music, astrology, mathematics and ayurveda influenced China. During the Tsang dynasty Indian vocal and instrumental music and dance, astrology and sculpture synthesised with those of China to evolve a wonderful Sino-Indian style of arts.
In the sixth century BC Darius of Persia conquered " Gandhara " and Sind in India. As a result India got connected in cultural ties with West Asia and Indo-Persian art and " Khorosti " alphabets evolved. India had direct cultural ties with Greece after the invasion of Alexander. Before his invasion also India had connection with Greece. The two civilisations influenced one another. The offspring of this cultural exchange is the " Gandhara " art. The discovery of Mathura made idol in Pompei (Italy) and Roman made art pieces in Southern India reveals India�s cultural connection with Rome even before the birth of Christ.
[In 1987 when I visited old Corinthia ,south of Athens, I photographed this picture painted in the wall of a ruin. The picture strongly resembles " Banke-Behari" ,the standing form of Sri Krishna of Indian Mythology. Was this a cross-cultural phenomenon.]
In the second century BC, Indian colony was established in " Khotan " (Mid-Asia). One pundit helped to spread Buddhism there and to build " viharas ". " Indra, Kapath, Bodhidharma " etc. Indian artistic talents synthesised with local Khotanese and Asian-Greek and Iranian artistic talents to construct hundreds of temples and "viharas ".
The " Thousand Buddha Cave" in China have temples that are carved and painted.
This is the best representative of Sino-Indian Culture. Indian monarch, Businessman, common people some times married local inhabitants� abroad.
Many temples and "viharas" were built by the roadside, near to inns on the roads from India to middle Asia. The internal parts of them were painted. The paintings between the first to eighth century AD have been discovered there. Some are painted in the Chinese style, while others are a mixture of Indian, Tibetan, Chinese, Persian and Greek. To sum up before the birth of Christ Indian culture spread to Tibet, China, Mid-Asia, Khotan, Afghanistan, Syria, Egypt, Rome etc.
During the Gupta period at the synthesis of Indian and middle � Asian culture a tremendous " Internationalism" was evolved. In middle Asia, Ayurveda, Sanskrit and Pali scripts and Hindu and Buddhist idols, sculptures have been discovered. After the fourth century AD Buddhism was carried over from China to Japan. Before Champa (Southern part of Indo-China) came under the banner of Hinduism the inhabitants worshipped ghosts and dead forefathers� etc. Shiva , Nataraja, Durga, Vishnu etc. Hindu gods and goddesses were worshipped at the spread of Hinduism There. Gupta art also influenced the Siamese (Thai) art. Indian alphabets were re-arranged to suit the Siamese language. Thai kings adopted Indian names (e.g. Jaibarman). Sages, religious missionaries, businessman, colonialists went to Burma, Siam, Cambodia, Malaysia, Sumatra, Java etc. and taught the inhabitants their religious doctrines, Science, arts, sculpture, advanced husbandry, navigation, administration, socialism, and economics etc. Many Sanskrit books were discovered in Champa. Followers of Shiva, Vishnu and Buddha were accepted with equal cordiality there.
Hinduism spread in Java in the first century. From then Ramayana and Mahabharata are controlling religious and social life of peoples there. Though the Javanese� accepted Muslim religion, still now they follow Hindu ways and beliefs. People from eastern India went to Java for ages. From ancient times Vishnu is worshipped. Between fourth and twelfth century "Shiva" dominated. In the eighth century the Buddhist monarch of Sumatra conquered Java and introduced Buddhism. Later it again came under Hindus.
Some temples and viharas of Burma, Malaysia and Java were constructed mainly in Indian (Paharpur�s) style. "Ananda temple" in Pagan (Burma) and Java�s " Barbudur" temple architecture were influenced by Paharpur�s art. In the architecture and sculpture of "Barbudur" temples Chola (south Indian) art is also vivid. The Hindu temple of "Chandilaro" and "Jang-gran" etc. can be compared with Buddhist Barbudur.
It is guessed Indian Cultural influence spread even to America, Yucatan, Mexico, Peru, Piedras Negras, Planque etc. Parts of temples in these places are thought to be influenced by architecture of "Ankor", "Ajanta", "Paharpur", "Barbudur" and the mythological style of posture, dress and ornamentation of Hindu and Buddhist Gods and goddesses.
Indian philosophers, pundits, Ayurvedic doctors, architects� etc. were honoured and admired by the Emperors of Baghdad. Harun-al-Rashid encouraged translation of Indian astrology, philosophy, ayurveda, mathematics and books on culture in Arabian language. Sultan Mahmood of Gazni took many Indian artists to west-Asia. They helped development of arts there4.
During the Mughal period, arts and literature flourished to a great extent. The fame of "Muslin" of Dacca spread throughout the world. Cotton and silk garments were exported to all parts of the world. Raw silk, scented objects, crockery made of china clay wee exported. But the fame of Mughal period rests chiefly on works of architecture. Their unique Indianness attracted the attention of all those who visited India from their homeland in the west5. A very interesting account of beauty and grandeur of palaces at Fatehpur Sikri has been left by the English traveler Ralph Fitch. From the account left by Edward Tarry, we come to know about the activities of the Portuguese missionaries in the courts of Mughal Emperors. The famous French traveler Tavernier, who came to India during the reign of Shah-Jehan has left a very valuable document of the glory and the grandeur of Mughal emperors. All these documents taken together bespeak of the tremendous progress that India registered during the Mughal reign and how this progress affected all cultured people at home and abroad.
The eighteenth and the first half of nineteenth century were a bad time for Indian culture. There was practically no cultural turnout from India to foreign countries. At this time the English conquered India. The Indian society at this time became conservative and many prejudices entered in it. Rammohan Roy at this time overcoming all prejudices went to England. He also brought about a reformation in the Hindu religion. Indians then had a farce fascination of gaining some status as the English by emulating the westerners. But in the later half of the nineteenth century a patriotic wave passed over India. The internal spirit of India seemed then to say-" Blind imitation mustn�t be done. But the cream of other country�s culture must be inherited. To make the culture spread abroad we must make our heart stick to our country". Our society is fast changing. We must direct this change towards higher realisation of life and not to degrade our standard of living for culture being the image of our society will also be then degraded. The changes occurring all around the world is forcing us to change. There is a tendency to give up our own and float in the western culture. " We should change, by exchange of culture with other countries, but under all circumstances stick to our own culture.
In the word of Paritosh Sen, a noted artist-" If art�s vitality comes from cross-breeding of styles, its stability comes from roots that grow deep into the native soil"6;dimensions of the word art�s can be increased to culture.
Every Indian abroad is an ambassador of the great Indian culture. Indians living anywhere in the world in New York, London or Canberra is admired in their National dress, saris etc. In Germany people have strong attraction for Indian movies depicting it�s history, religion, philosophy, culture and architecture7. In South American countries they like Indian movies showing Indian dance. Indian films are greatly liked by Russians. Many persons e.g. Mary Citon etc is influenced by Satyajit Ray the Indian film director.
The youths of the west frustrated by their materialistic society are in a spiritual quest. Americans come in great numbers to India in search of God. Religious missionaries go abroad. Swami Vivekanda was the first Indian to represent an Indian religion before the world. He influenced many people. Among them is Margaret Noble. It is interesting to note in some missions the lions share of their donation comes from foreign followers. Parties singing " Hare Krisna Hare Rama " can be seen in the streets of New York. Somerset Maugham depicts the spiritual quest of the western youth and their coming to India in the novel "The Razors Edge". Many foreign writers such as Victoria Ocampo, Somerset Maugham, E.M. Forster etc are influenced by Indian Culture. Rabindranath Tagore, Nazrul Islam, Manik Bandopadhyay, Sukanto Bhattacharya are some of the writer who have influenced western people. Tagore songs are translated and recorded in foreign language. Foreigners act "Chitrangada" etc. dance drama of Tagore. In fact E. M. Forster the celebrated critic, discovered display of exquisite beauty in Tagore�s Chitrangada. His views are expressed in his famous book, "Abinger Harvest". Indian art is admired abroad. The gradually increasing fascination for Indian art and culture is manifested in the Indian influence on dress and fashion abroad. Classical, folk dance and music developed in India manifest spiritual experience in vocal instrumental and physical expression. Hence it is not surprising to notice Indian dance and music influencing alien people and they in their turn from all parts of the world learning Indian dance and music. Beside Ravishankar, Udayshankar, etc. hosts of others are Indian cultural ambassador abroad. Many renowned foreigners also help to spread Indian culture. Percy Brown, a celebrated name and Anna Pavlova the Russian Ballerina can be mentioned here. A Ganesh temple is erected in New York. St. Basil's Cathedral in Moscow is influenced by Indian architecture.
Scientists in their researches are coming to conclusions, which were told in the "Upanishads". "Paradoxical sleeping" and the "Mystery of dream" etc. researches in the above subjects are proving what Upanishads have mentioned. A new branch of science developed now is "parapsychology". To control the phenomenon scientist have given attention to Indian Yoga and meditation. Patanjali in his Yogasutras dealt at length not only a nature and variety of phenomenon but also on the method of control over them. Yoga is widely admired all over the world. But the above branches of Science seem to have a more bright future for India now.
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** Aryans, Dravidians, Austric, and local etc (description of this part was in the missing introductory part)
References:
2) Ramayani Katha- Chapter 8 -by Dinesh Chandra Sen
3) Samaj-Jivan � Part II �Chapter 3 - by Prahlad Pramanik
4) Bharat �Sanskriti �by Suniti Chatterjee;
& Devaitan O Bharat Sabhyata � by Sris Chandra Chattopadhyay
5) Samaj- Jivan � (Mughal period) � by Prahlad Pramanik
6) Sunday �(an article in this weekly supplementary magazine )Hindustan Standard
7) Sunday- (an article in this weekly supplementary magazine) Hindustan Standard
8) Amrita Bazaar Patrika ( an article in it)