Early Hindu Kingdom in Malaysia

Sometime around 100 BC, a group of Indian people arrive in the Malay Peninsula, led by the favorable winds of southwest monsoon in the Bay of Bengal. It was said that they come from a wealthy kingdom called Savarnadvipa, the Land of Gold.  

 That is the first group of Indians that arrive in the Malay Peninsula and it was also the beginning of the Hindu Kingdoms in Malaysia. Since the land of the Malay Peninsula is blessed with lots of natural resources,it has attracted them to stay and discover our land. Since then, began the never-ending streams of Indians traders, who would come in search of spices, gold and also aromatic wood. 

  Apart from that, the Indians influences started to spread through the land. The exchange of cultures and religions took place in the Malay Peninsula. Hinduism and Buddhism swept through the land, bringing temples and Indian cultural traditions. Some of the local kings integrated the Hindu system of administration and incorporated some of the best Indian traditions with the already existent structure. Even today, we can see that much of Malay and local culture retain aspects of Indian culture. The use of Sanskrit in the national language, through similar wedding ceremonies, the use of henna, dances and some of the performances are the evidence of the Hindu Kingdoms influence in Malaysia. 

 

 Nowadays, there is still remaining evidence in Kedah, where the Malaysia’s most extensive archeological site can be find. The sprawling ruins of an ancient Hindu kingdom dating back to 300 AD. Over 50 tomb temples dot the site, and hundreds of relics are on display in the nearby Bujang Valley Archaeological Museum.             

      

Sources:

1. http://www.geographia.com/malaysia/history02.htm
2. http://www.audioguidemalaysia.com/blog/2010/09/19/history-time-ancient-malaysia-was-hindu
3. Google images

                                  

Where we came from?? - Ancient Malaysia

  

Malaysia, situated in the middle of Southeastern Asia is a blessed country with the land of Exceptional beauty, Rich with different culture and ethnics and Amazing history of it. Malaysia is strategically sited in between the Sumatra and the Siamese , and that is where our story begins.

  Malaysia ancient history is an ongoing mystery, not many researchers have discovered the truth behind the ancient Malaysia. The truth is that there is not much archaeological evidence or written records from ancient Malaysia. The historians often speak of Malaysia's ancient past as something "shrouded in mystery," a kind of black hole in Asian history.  

  There is a lot of speculation arise when it comes to the first evidence of the existence of *Homo Sapiens in Malaysia. However, it was agreed then that the oldest evidence of human habitation was in Gua Niah, Sarawak dating from 35,000 years before Christ.

GUA NIAH - Gua Niah in Sarawak contains the oldest
      remains of the Homo Sapiens.

  Other than that, there are findings of the stone age tools and implements from about 10,000 B.C and were believed to be left there by the *Negrito aborigines.

 Later, comes the much more technologically advanced group of human from China migrated to the peninsula about 2,500 years before Christ. They were called the Proto-Malays and their advances into the peninsula has forced the Negritos into the hills and jungles. 

  History's periodic waves of cultural evolution, however, soon created another group, the Deutero-Malays. They were a combination of many peoples that comes from Indians, Chinese, Siamese, Arabs, and Proto-Malays. They had risen by mastering the use of iron. Combined with the peoples of Indonesia, the Deutero-Malays formed the racial basis for the group which today we simply call the Malay, the largest ethnic group in Malaysia.

  There are much more of Malaysia's ancient history that have to be discovered. We, the Malaysian should at least know our origin and gain knowledge from it. 

*Homo Sapiens - Humans (Homo sapiens) are primates of the family Hominidae and the only  

                       living species of the genus Homo.

*Negrito aborigines - one of the earliest groups to inhabit the peninsula. 

   

           STONE AGE TOOLS - Tools made from stone are used as a weapons such as 

                                        hand axe and knife.

Sources from:

1. http://www.voyage99.com/geography.html
2. http://www.chinatownconnection.com/malaysia-history-culture.htm
3. Google