Make Hinduism the largest religion Southeast Asia

[Midas]

All religions proscribe ways of life to their adherents. Hinduism just happens to be incredibly complex. You are right though that it is perhaps unfairly lumped together (some sects anyway).

Hinduism is a way of life, not a religion. It was only considered a religion when colonization occurred. Calling it a religion may insult some Hindus.

Southeast Asia would've liked remained Hindu had it not been for the simultaneous expulsion of all Buddhist elements from the states throughout the 1000s (mostly via. Muslim conquest) and the eventual ascendancy of Islam in the region. Trade with India and the West was always important via. the Straits, but when Arab and Muslim Indian traders began to dominate it, there was no reason for God-Kings in Cambodia and Sumatra to remain so. Some sort of continuing powerful Hindu Indian Empire would probably prevent the conversions that happened iotl and keep Hinduism as the major sort of faith in the region (though I think it might just be a plurality, not a majority).

 

[The Ubbergeek]

SOme things change with time, and apparently Hinduism by example as well - it was argued the castes really ossificated in the medieval era, as muslims came.

 

[Strategos' Risk]

Migrant workers, everywhere.

 

[The Ubbergeek]

Migrant workers, everywhere.

One can argue it happeend OTL, Singaphour have a vibrant indian minority i think, by example, and peoples forget indians in africa, like Ghandi... BUT many of them where indian muslims.

 

[Caesar Australis]

I'm not sure knocking off Islam is the way to keep Southeast Asia Hindu, since Islam's absence would probably mean a Christian Arabia, so knocking off Islam might only mean Christianity rather then Islam does the displacing.

What was it about Bali that made it more resistant then the rest of SEA? Bali's resistance needs to be held by the rest of the archipelago.

 

[Flocculencio]

Or maybe have Buddhism never develop quite so clearly as a separate religion.

SE Asian Hinduism and Buddhism weren't really that distinct in the pre-Islamic period.

 

[The Ubbergeek]

Make one wonder... does anyone made a thread on a buddhism or jainism eitheir *eradicating* hinduism, or a total fusion - probably changing Hinduism into something like christianity to judaism in comparaison...

 

[Screvier20]

I'm not sure knocking off Islam is the way to keep Southeast Asia Hindu, since Islam's absence would probably mean a Christian Arabia, so knocking off Islam might only mean Christianity rather then Islam does the displacing.

What was it about Bali that made it more resistant then the rest of SEA? Bali's resistance needs to be held by the rest of the archipelago.

Been thinking about not having Christianity or Islam and keep the Roman religion in place in the west but that really goes beyond what this thread is about(may begin a new thread with Roman religion surviving later on).

The best to keep Southeast Asia Hindu is to have an Hindu Indian Empire in southern India. With strong trading empire in southern India it would likely keep most Muslim traders out so keeping Southeast Asia Hindu. With a strong Hindu Indian trading Empire you may see Indian trader reaching the coast of East Africa. But East Africa likely would still be dominate by Muslim traders. You may see East African coast becoming maybe 5% to 10% Hindu in the long term.

 

[david green]

How would you get Hinduism and Buddhism to be equals in mainland Southeast Asia and have Hinduism makeup at least 80% of the population of Indonesia. Have Philippines at least 50% Hindu.

Thinking best way keep Indonesia Hindu is weaker Islam and make the Indianized kingdoms of Indonesia stronger to survive the coming of the Arab trader and Islam. Mainland Southeast Asia maybe easier to keep Hindu than Indonesia. With Indonesia still Hindu it would very easily keep the Philippines Hindu.

Let Mohammed die of an eplipetic fit soon after his first revelation.

 

[Screvier20]

Been thinking about not having Christianity or Islam and keep the Roman religion in place in the west but that really goes beyond what this thread is about(may begin a new thread with Roman religion surviving later on).

The best to keep Southeast Asia Hindu is to have an Hindu Indian Empire in southern India. With strong trading empire in southern India it would likely keep most Muslim traders out so keeping Southeast Asia Hindu. With a strong Hindu Indian trading Empire you may see Indian trader reaching the coast of East Africa. But East Africa likely would still be dominate by Muslim traders. You may see East African coast becoming maybe 5% to 10% Hindu in the long term.

The great Hindu Indian trading Empire would likely establish trading post in the southern Philippines. You may see the southern Philippines under Indian influence and the northern Chinese influence.

Using the Philippines as a base trading from India and Southeast Asia likely would be more common in China than they were in OTL. With small Indian and Southeast Asian populations in Chinese coasts cities.

 

[Screvier20]

POD is when Rajendra Chola III come to the throne of Chola Empire in 1246 he sees that the empire can not be saved in India and makes plans to save the empire by move it to Srivijaya in Sumatra. By 1250 the capital has be moved to Srivijaya. Over the next 15 years Rajendra Chola III completely rebuild Srivijaya into the new Chola Empire capital and build a strong power base in Sumatra.Moving the capital to Srivijaya was not without problems with ethnic violence between the new Tamil immigrants and the native Malays population.

By 1275 the Chola Empire as half control of the island of Sumatra with the Hariphunchai Kingdom holding the remainder of the island and made strong inroads in Java also open small trading post on Borneo. Khmer Empire is still of greatest power in the region. In 1283 the Kingdom of Hariphunchai becomes a vassal state of the new Chola Empire. In 1292 the Kingdom of Hariphunchai would win there war with the Thai Kingdom of Lanna with support of the Chola Empire.