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10. Indian Influence Remains Today

  • Writer: Kerry Paul
    Kerry Paul
  • Apr 27
  • 2 min read

Updated: Jun 11

I recently visited India to explore how this country evolved and what drives it today. In the 1450 years from about 250 BC to 1200 AD (called The Common Period), Indian religion, trade, science, technology, mathematics, and culture had a profound impact across the world from the Red Sea to the Pacific. Notably, the strength of India’s ideas was key to spreading Indian influence—not through the power of its sword!

Buddha statue surrounded by vibrant yellow flowers.

Indian Influence Remains Today

The religions from India came to dominate South, Central, South-East, and Eastern Asia. Today, over half the world’s population lives in areas where Indian religion and culture still dominate.


Many place names in South-East Asian countries are based on celebrated places from Indian mythology. For instance, the national airline of Indonesia is Garuda, named after the god Vishnu’s horse. The rupiah is the official currency of Indonesia, the name is derived from the Sanskrit word for silver, rupyakam. The national airport of Thailand is named Suvarnabhumi, which means “golden land” in Sanskrit. The ancient capital of Thailand is named Ayutthaya, after Ayodhya, a capital city in an ancient Indian poem. The name of Java Island is derived from the Sanskrit Yavad, meaning “island shaped like a yava”, or grain of barley.

4 images showing Garuda Indonesia logo, foreign currency, Bangkok Airport, Map of Java Island
Influence of Indian Mythology on South-east Asia Today

Many current languages have roots in Sanskrit, including:


  • Indo-Aryan languages: Bengali, Gujarati, Hindi, and Punjabi are all descendants of Sanskrit. In the early 21st century, Indo-Aryan languages were spoken by more than 800 million people, primarily in India, Bangladesh, Nepal, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka.


  • Other Indian languages: Marathi, Kashmiri, and Oriya are also derived from Sanskrit.


  • Languages outside of India: Sanskrit has influenced languages in China, Japan, Korea, Tibet, Southeast Asia, South Asia, Europe, and the United States. For example, the Chinese language uses some Sanskrit words, and the Javanese and Malay languages have a history of Sanskrit influence.


  • Thai: Over half of the vocabulary in Thai is derived from Sanskrit, Pali, Mon, and Old Khmer.


Comparison chart of Sanskrit and Thai words for week, time, world, college, body, amount, and mathematics. Buddha statues in top corner.
Thai Language and Sanskrit Common Words

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Kerry Paul Business man and blogger
Kerry Paul – Stepping Out of Your Bubble Author
​

Hi, I'm Kerry. I enjoy challenging people by asking questions and presenting different views to encourage critical thinking. My 45-year career has always had a global focus, building successful relationships in over 50 countries. I am empathetic to diverse views, irrespective of gender, ethnicity, religion, culture, or socio-economic status. Join me on a captivating journey as we explore how India shaped the world over two thousand years ago, potentially leading to the first settlement of New Zealand. This blog series aims to expand readers' awareness and knowledge of how people may have come to New Zealand in pre-Polynesian times. Given the time constraints many readers face, I am providing a platform for them to consider these intriguing possibilities in easy-to-read blog posts.

 

Who were the first people to settle in New Zealand? How did India possibly contribute to any development, given its major role over 2000 years ago in some of New Zealand’s closest neighbours? These questions will guide our exploration and open up a rich dialogue about the historical connections and cultural exchanges that may have shaped New Zealand's early settlements.

 

I'd be more than happy to discuss with readers of my blog about India, its history as well as New Zealand and the suggested origins of its first settlers. 

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