The Indian poet, Rabindranath Tagore visited Southeast Asia in the early 20th century and was struck by the similarity with India. This influence cannot be denied but the way in which this transformation took place is still a matter of dispute among historians. For the visitor, the most obvious heritage is that of the many temples still standing: this is where one can admire the way in which each country has reinterpreted the Indian canons to create their own style.
See also:
- in lectures on Indonesia : Borobudur, the mountain of accumulation of virtue
- in lectures on Cambodia : The temples of Angkor
- in lectures on Myanmar: The Shwedagon pagoda
- in publications, my book “Making sense of the Shwedagon”
many thanks for your blog! I have a question about Tagore’s famous phrase “Everywhere I see India…”, since William Darlymple in a recent interview with Indian Times Express claimed he made that remark about Angkor Wat, yet to my knowledge it was about Borobudur, and Tagore never visited Cambodia. Can you help clarifying on that point? Many thanks! Bernard
Hello,
Thank you for your query. Tagore did go to Borobudur and his visit is recorded on a statue which was in the museum in 2014. I will try and send it to you. As far as I know, this is when he pronounced the oft-quoted phrase, but Indian influence is so pervasive in Southeast Asia that I see how it could also apply to Angkor Wat as well! Hope this helps.
Best regards.
Anne-Marie Harrison