1. TAMIL CULTURAL INFLUENCES IN MALAYSIA
BSED I – F
Group I

2. HISTORICAL BACKGROUND OF THE TAMILS
They occupied the South Indian State of Tamil Nadu – Southern tip of India { referred to as river with a sweet water, not salty}
They are part of the large Dravidian group – a major component of the populations of India
Is the oldest of all the languages under the Dravidian family
They were the most important trading peoples of maritime Asia
3 Kinds of Craft
Light coasting boats
Larger vessel
Ocean-going vessel – The trade relations of Tamil merchants had with the ports of Malaya led to emergence of Indianized kingdoms – Gangga Negara, Old Kedah, Srivijaya 1500 years ago

3. 3 THEORIES REGARDING THE TRANSMISSION OF INDIAN CULTURE TO SOUTHEAST ASIA - MALAYSIA

4. I. THE KSHATRIYA or ARISTOCRAT THEORY
States that the Indian Emperors colonized Southeast Asia
There was no much proof of any Indian king as having had direct political control over any regime in Southeast Asia
The Indianized countries of Southeast Asia were never political dependencies of India, but rather CULTURAL COLONIES

5. II. THE BRAHMIN or SACERDOTE THEORY
States that the Indian culture was spread through the religious activities of the Brahman priest who entered the region as spiritual leaders
There are archeological evidences such as inscriptions and icons shiva and different deities – coming from the Tamil country

6. III. THE VAISYA or TRADERS/PROLETARIAT THEORY
States that the spread of Indian culture was through the efforts of the traders

7. Of the 3 theories , only the Brahmin theory has been accepted by a vast numbers of historians

8. INSCRIPTION IN MALAY PENINSULA
Takuapa inscription
Tambralinga inscription
Tanjore inscription
Borneo inscription
Kedah inscription
Ligor inscription

9. TAKUAPA INSCRIPTION
It is short inscription indicating that an artificial lake Avani-naranam was dug by Nangur-udaiyan [ a military fief in Nangur, famous for his abilities as a warrior], the lake was place under the protection of the members of the Manikkiramam [ a merchant guild ] living in a military camp

10. TAMBRALINGA INSCRIPTION
There is a bronze image of ganesha bearing in a tamil inscription “ MAJAPISIDESA “

11. TANJORE INSCRIPTION
In the ancient city of Tanjore in Tamil Nadu are inscription dating from 1030 AD which mentions the victory of Rajendra Chola I over Southeastern countries
In other inscription dated 1070 AD, the king of Kamboja [Java] sent a chariot to the Chola king to seek his help and save his kingdom

12. THE VICTORY OF RAJENDRA CHOLAN I AND OTHER TANJORE INSCRIPTIONS

13. BORNEO INSCRIPTION
In Kutei island of Borneo, 7 inscriptions have been found. They all relate to the Kundungan clan’s rule over Borneo, his princely family migrated from Tamil Nadu to Borneo to established a kingdom
All thes inscrptions are both written in Sanskrit and Tamil

14. KEDAH INSCRIPTION
An inscribed stone bar, rectangular in shape , bears the ye-dharma formula in South Indian characters of the fourth century AD.Proclaiming the buddhist character of the shrine [ Pallava inscription]
An inscription in Sanskrit left by Kulothunka Cholan I,it shows the commercial contacts the Chola empire had with Malaya

15. LIGOR INSCRIPTION
Refers to the trade relationship between the Tamil country and Malaya

16. TAMIL ISLAMIC MANUSCRIPT
A manuscript which shows that Tamils were active in spreading Islam in Malaya. This ancient folio dated 1192 “ WARUSHAM SHA’BAN MASAM 4 TIRAM “, a prayer booklet containing 15 pages, written in 2 idioms – Tamil and Malay

17. TAMIL INFLUENCES IN MALAYSIA
Name of places
Language
Religion
Culture

18. NAME OF THE PLACES Malaya and Malayu/Melayu
Is a combination of 2 Tamil words, Malay or Malai [hill] and ‘ur’ meaning hilltown
The word Malaysia means “Mountains of Asia”

19. Pattani
Northern part of Malaysia, Pattani in Tamil means pea

20. Manigramam
Gem- like town, Trading center of Tamil

21. Tondi Occurs in the Tamil epic Silappdikaram
There are 3 Tondi, one in Chera empire, the other one is Pandayan empire and the third Tondi in the Malay peninsula

22. A Tamil word for “piper cubeba”
Takkolam
A Tamil word for “piper cubeba”

23. Kedah or Kadaram West coast of Malaysia
Known as kadaram in tamil. Kadaram-kondan “conqueror of Kadaram’’

24. Northern part of Malay peninsula
Mayirudinggam
Mappappalam
Mewilimbwnggam
Madamalingam

25. TAMIL WORDS in MALAY TAMIL MALAY ENGLISH akka kakak elder sister kadai
kedai
shop
kappal
kapal
ship
katikam
ketika
minute
muthirai
mutiara
pearl
nagaram
negara
country
purva
purba
ancient
raja
king
suniyam
Sunyi
empty/silence

26. RELIGION
Hinduism
Buddhism
Islam

27. HINDUISM I. Shivism Oldest of the 4 sect of Hinduism
Believe in Shiva as the supreme god

28. II. Vishnu
Believes in Rama and Krishna as supreme god

29. BUDDHISM
Believes in Siddhartha Gautama – the awakened one

30. ISLAM
Believes to Allah as the one true god and Mohammad as his last prophet

31. CULTURE
Customs
Festivals

32. CULTURE
Marriage Customs

33. FESTIVALS
Thaipusam
a religious festival dedicated to the Tamil deity Murugan

35. INSCRIPTIONS
TAKUAPA
TAMBRALINGA
TANJORE
BORNEO
KEDAH
LIGOR

36. Hinduism-Buddhism-Islam
INFLUENCES
NAME OF PLACES
LANGUAGES
RELIGION
Hinduism-Buddhism-Islam
CULTURE
Customs-Festivals