ARRIVAL of Hinduism
The arrival of Hinduism in Indonesia is traced back to the 1st century AD. One of the early kingdoms of Indonesia, Srivijaya Kingdom, ruled most parts of the Island of Sumatra. It was strategically placed right next to the Strait of Malacca, intending to create an efficient, overseas network with the neighboring nations such as India and China. In this case, Indian traders that are Hindus or Buddhists interacted with the western Indonesian locals. Hence, it is theorized that the Hindu religion came from trade relations between the Indians and Indonesians. There are 4 famous theories in total, regarding to the arrival of Hinduism in Indonesia.
The first theory is called the “Brahmin Theory”, an idea that missionaries were invited or came to Indonesia with a purpose of spreading Hinduism by leading religious ceremonies. The second theory, “Vaishya Theory”, theorized that foreign merchants introduced both Hinduism and Buddhism to the archipelago. The third, called the “Kshatriya Theory”, speculates that defeated Indian soldiers fled to Indonesia to find comfort. Last but not least, the nationalistic “Bhumiputra Theory” hypothesizes that Indonesians themselves went to India to study its religions, and returned to their homeland to spread the Indian religions.
The first theory is called the “Brahmin Theory”, an idea that missionaries were invited or came to Indonesia with a purpose of spreading Hinduism by leading religious ceremonies. The second theory, “Vaishya Theory”, theorized that foreign merchants introduced both Hinduism and Buddhism to the archipelago. The third, called the “Kshatriya Theory”, speculates that defeated Indian soldiers fled to Indonesia to find comfort. Last but not least, the nationalistic “Bhumiputra Theory” hypothesizes that Indonesians themselves went to India to study its religions, and returned to their homeland to spread the Indian religions.
EXPANSION of Hinduism
Although most of these theories lack evidence, the fact that the spread of Hinduism started from Sumatra can be proven by the discovery of ancient Hindu graves and temples. The Indonesian locals then spread Hinduism, believing that Hinduism could aid them in gaining more power and status. For hundreds of years the religion expanded slowly from the West to the East of the Nusantara, through locals and leaders who converted into Hindus. A few of the most notable islands that had adapted Hinduism throughout the 5th to the 13th century include Kalimantan, Sumatra, and Java. During the 5th century, Hinduism was developed in West Java, proven by the discovery of 7 Sanskrit inscriptions (Ciareteun, Kebonkopi, Guava, Sand Awi, Muara Cianten, Tugu, & Lebak). The biggest Indonesian empire, the “Majapahit”, also credited for unifying the Nusantara archipelago as one nation, also adapted both Hinduism and Buddhism hence playing a crucial part in spreading Hinduism to its new territories and the rest of Indonesia.
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FUN FACT: |
http://www.indonesia-investments.com/culture/politics/precolonial-history/item123
http://www.indonesia-investments.com/culture/religion/hinduism/item250
http://collection-of-indonesian.blogspot.com/2011/08/spread-of-hinduism-and-buddhist.html
http://kmhd.lk.ipb.ac.id/2010/11/06/sejarah-agama-hindu-di-indonesia/