Indian Epics Soft

Power&

Understanding India and Southeast Asia

Indian epics Ramayana and Mahabharata have played a very crucial role in binding the greater Indian fraternity into one thread of cultural cohesion. �e rapid dissemination of these two epics into the region was not an obligatory one but was endorsed and sought by many contemporary Hindu and Buddhist dynasties in the region. �e strong need of propagating Dharma, which clearly de�ned the ethical and non-ethical pursuits, was felt by the contemporary rulers of Southeast Asia because it helped them to organize society and establish peace on the basis of dharma. Most importantly, it placed the kings on the top the righteous beings above their subjects. �ese two epics were not imposed as religious texts but were adopted and localized in Buddhism, Jainism, and other doctrines. �e stories and plot also kept changing and were customized and adapted according to the prevailing norms of those societies. For example, in the Buddhist version Rama, Sita and Lakshmana were sent to Himalaya in order to get rid of the bad intention of Dasharatha's third wife but the abduction of Sita is not mentioned. Malay version gives the extra plenipotentiary role to Lakshmana and he is highly glori�ed. In �ai version Hanumana as a devotee of Rama has been more glori�ed and considered to be omnipotent. Since Myanmar shares a long border with India, it has almost same version as India but like Indonesia it has customized the names of the characters of Ramayana and Mahabharata as per their own customs and convenience.

�e projection of Ramayana in Hindu and Buddhist temples and relics in the form of mural painting, stone image, wood relief carving, particularly in Indonesia, speak volumes as how these two epics ruled the conscience of the local people. It would not be an exaggeration to claim that the literature, philosophy, and social architecture of this region is greatly impacted by these two epics.

Ramayana is known with di�erent names in these countries: Phra Lak Phra Ram in Laos, Reamker in Cambodia, Ramakien in �ailand, Kakawin Ramayana in Indonesia, Hikayat Seri Rama in Malaysia. Ramayana in the Philllippines is called as Maharadia Lawana means King Ravana and its popular dance �Singkil� is based upon Ramayana. �e 7th-century Ramayana stone pedestal in the Cham temple relief at Tra

Kieu in Vietnam testi�es to the local adaptation of this epic.

In Java the Hindu Shaivite Sailendra dynasty converted themselves as Mahayana Buddhist (750-to 850 CE) and actively promoted it's teachings. �e biggest Buddhist temple and shrine, Borobudur near Jogyakarta, and other smaller temples like Mendut, Kalasan and Pawon were built during this dynasty. Later a Pallava stone inscription says that a king named Sanjaya (also known as Mataram) replaced Sailendra in Central Java. At the end of 10th CE in East Java, a prosperous and powerful kingdom known as Singasari led by the king Dharmawangsa, emerged. During his reign civil laws were arranged and systematized. He got Mahabharata and Bhagavat Gita translated into Javanese. Mahabharat is localized as Bharat Yuddha or Kurukshetra War in Javanese.

In Javanese people still think the Kurukshetra battle�eld was a place named Dieng Plateau in Central Java. �e emperor Bharata's future was a predestined fate �xed by the Deva (God) before the Pandavas and Kauravas were born. Some of the characters are depicted almost the way they are interpreted in India. But these characters are still imprinted in the minds of the common man.

· Bisma- Bhisma.· King Pandu, father of the �ve Pandawas.· Destarata-Dhritrashtra · Dewi Kunti- Kunti· Gendari-Gandhari· Madrim -Madri mother of twins Nakula and Sadewa and wife of Pandu· Karna-Karna, the son of Kunti and friend of Duryudana.· Durna-Drona, mahaguru to Kuruwas and Pandawas. Drona was father of Aswathama.· Duryudana-Duryodhana. A great warrior and a great friend to Karna, he hated Pandavas and was

jealous of them.· Sangkuni-Shakuni King of Gandhar, a veteran and seasoned player of dice. He was Queen Gandhari's

elder brother and maternal uncle to Duryodhana.· Arjuna-Arjuna, the third Pandava brother, he was most beloved of Drona and Bhisma and also a great

friend of Krishna.· Yudistira or Punta Deva or Dharmawangsa-Yudhisthira. He was just, calm, patient and non-violent in

nature who always wanted to end the rivalry between the Pandawas and the Kauravas.

Mahabharata is mostly popular in Indonesia than the rest of Southeast Asia due to its staging through folk drama, esp. puppetry. �e puppeteers would go elaborating most of the protagonists till their imagination would keep their audience spellbound. �erefore, some of the characters and episodes like Arjuna and his marriage ceremony, Bhima's falling in love with Hidimba and the birth of Ghatotkacha are of primary importance.

Looking at the deep-rooted Indic imprint of these countries, India may have a great say and more negotiating power in strengthening its bilateral ties with them.

Concept Note

The Centre for Chinese & Southeast Asian Studies, SLL&CS, JNU in collaboration with JNU Jean Monnet Module, and Network REACTIK,

Co-Funded by Erasmus Program of the European Union,and Indian Council for Social Science Research (ICSSR) is organizing

2-Days International Conference on"Indian Epics & Soft Power: India & Southeast Asia"

and a Lec-Dem on Indonesian Mahabharata to Commemorate, Observe and Celebrate 70 Years of

the establishment of Diplomatic relations between India & Indonesia (1949 - 2019)

by Indraprasta University, Indonesia 6-7 Nov, 2019

Time: 9 AM OnwardsVenue: Convention Centre, JNU, New Delhi: 110067

Emminent Speakers at the Conference

Ambassador Sidharto Reza SuryodipuroRepublic of Indonesia

Shri Sunil AmbekarNational Organizing SecretaryAkhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP)

Prof Iwan PranotoInstitute of Technology Bandung, Indonesia

Dr Balmukund PandeyOrganizing Secretary

Akhil Bharatiya Itihas Sankalan Yojana (ABISY)

Prof. Dr. H. SumaryotoVice ChancellorIndraprasta University, Indonesia

Shri Shakti SinhaFormer Director

Nehru Memorial Museum & Library.

Prof Kapil KapoorChairmanInstitute of AdvanceStudies, IIAS, Shimla

Artists at Cultural Evening

Master Puppeteers: Ra� Ramadhan &

Pramariza Fadhlansyah

Gamelan Group fromIndraprasta University

�e following sub-themes can be considered to write scholarly papers:

1. Indian Epics and the Indic Belt2. Indian Epics and the re�ection of the virtues of contemporary society in SEA3. Indian so� power as a negotiating platform in ASEAN4. Possibility of formation of Indian Epic Belt5. Exposition of Individual characters of Ramayana and Mahabharata in di�erent countries.6. Constitution of Indonesia and its representation of its Indic in�uenced culture. 7. Constitution of Indonesia and its representation of its Indic in�uenced culture. 8. So�-Power and its Scope in foreign policy 9. Modi's Foreign Policy and So�-power

Important Dates and Information:

1. Last date for the Abstract Submission: 18 October, 2019 2. Last date for the Full article not more than 5500 words: 28 October.

�e coordinators will inform the contributors about the acceptance of their abstract.

Dr. Sanjay PaswanFormer Minister of State of Human Resources Development

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Registration Fees Rs 1000

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British spelling should be used throughout.Institutional a�liation and designation with complete contact address, including email address must be provided along with the so� copies of the submission.

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