Page 32 - Seniorstoday December 2023 Issue
P. 32
Travel
Cambodia-
The Indian Influence
After her recent trip there, Malti Gaekwad details the enormous influence
of Indian culture in Cambodia
You have to see it to believe it or should I in temples which is very much like we
say - Believe It or Not. We have heard of practice in India. With an estimate of
Little India - a famous street in Singapore, 4400 monastic temples throughout the
where you find a lot of Indians, you can country (and more being built) and over
buy Indian spices, foods, sweets and almost 30000 practicing monks, Buddhism is
anything. And during Diwali it looks like lived every day. The remaining population
any street in India, festive and illuminated, includes Christians, Muslims, Jews and
glittering and colourful, crowded and what not but hardly any Hindus. Less
vibrant. But Cambodia is different. than a thousand individuals probably.
Almost 97% of the population in Even after being a very small minority
Cambodia is Buddhist. They follow and in the Buddhist majority Nation it highly
practice Theravada Buddhism. Theravada influences the vast culture and history of
Buddhism is the oldest surviving form Cambodia….. Having being a prominent
of the religion. Cambodian Buddhism religion under the Khmer Empire. Today
shares much with their other Buddhist most Cambodian Hindus are Indians in
countries but has many notable and unique Cambodia.
qualities. Buddha statues are revered in The story goes that an Indian Prince
Cambodia and visitors are politely asked known as Kaundinya a Hindu Brahmin
to respect the customs surrounding these, probably from northern Andhra Pradesh
such as not pointing your feet towards a or southern Odisha travelled to Southeast
Buddha statue and dressing respectfully Asia for trade, by chance met and later
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