Common elements of Indianisation in Southeast Asia
Divine Kingship
The concept of divine kingship had not only penetrated to every corner of Southeast Asia, it had also determined the lives of the kings and affected the sphere of life of even the most humble of his subjects
One of the most important and lasting influence in Southeast Asia from India
According to the Hindu and Mahayana Buddhist theory, kings derived their divinity through the divine incarnation of the major Hindu gods, Siva, Vishnu and Indra
Cosmological ideas also played a part in fashioning the court, government and the role of the king. Throughout SEA there was a preoccupation with the numbers 4, 8, 16 and 32 as attributes of the famous Mount Meru
In Cambodia, Burma and Thailand, there were usually 4 queens, 4 chief ministers, 4 assistant ministers and this number went down through the hierarchy of officialdom
The concept of divine kingship had become so interwoven with Indian cosmological ideas that cosmo-magic principles have come to form the basis of the state and kingship in the area; as seen in the concepts underlying the origin of kingship; the layout and structure of capital cities, temples and palaces, the titles of kings, queens and officials etc.
Architectural representations of Mount Meru (sacred mountain housing Indra and the other gods) in SEA include palaces, Indian sanctuary towels and Borobudurs
Architectural Representations of Mount Meru
Devaraja
The devaraja concept has been established through rituals and institutionalized within the Indianized kingdoms of Southeast Asia
It is the Southeast Asian concept of the divine king.
It is the Hindu-Buddhist cult of deified royalty in Southeast Asia
The concept viewed the king as the living god, the incarnation of the supreme god, often attributed to Shiva or Vishnu on Earth
Politically, the concept is viewed as the divine justification of the king’s rule
It enables the monarch to claim the divine authority which could be used on ensuring political legitimacy, managing social order, economic and religious aspects. In political aspect, it strengthens the justification of the king and the ruling dynasty as the rightful ruler of the land
Monuments such as Prambanan and Angkor Wat were erected to celebrate the king’s divine rule on Earth
Prambanan - Hindu Temple in Central Java, Indonesia
Angkor Wat - Hindu (subsequently Buddhist) temple in Cambodia
Mandala
It is the central core of existences
3 principles: Centre, Symmetry and Cardinal Points
The basic form of a mandala is a square with 4 gates, with a circle in the center point
The mandala is defined by the center, which is the center of empire administration
In India, it is a religious system, but in Southeast Asia, it is a political system
The political system describes circles of friendly and enemy states surrounding the King's state
In Hinduism, mandala diagrams, when awakened and made operative by incantation and ritual gesture, could create, enclose, protect and destroy energy
The mandala diagram had gateways which were guarded by mantras (prayers). The entry into the heart of the diagram was through spell and magical gesture revealed to the initiate. A small man-data provides the yogi with an image of the world into which he enters psychically.
Only the Brahmist priest can legitimise the king, who has the ability to tap into 'cosmic power' through the virtuous behaviour of the Hindu 'devaraja'.
The King/Sultan deemed to be bestowed with elements of divinity
Geomatric and symmetrical repetitive patterns on batiks and sarees are based on the mandala concept
Mandala - with has a center (consisting of power that is personal and devotional), cardinal points (points of transection, businesses, network influences), and is symmetrical (fluid system)
Batik painting with repetitive patterns based on the mandala concept