AESTHETICS AND IDENTITY:
INDIA AND SOUTHEAST ASIA

Themes

Indian Ocean trade basin and Southeast Asia cultures
Muslim and Hindu
cultural identity and aesthetic values

Environment and Development

Environments:
- Northern India
- Southern India
- Indian Ocean
- mainland Southeast Asia
- island Southeast Asia
Developments in India:
- Northern 500-1200
  - post-Gupta Empire: White Huns; Harsha
  - Muslim incursions:
  - regional states: Rajputs
- Southern 900-1300
  - Chalukyas and Cholas (850-1267)
  - Tamil people (Dravidian)
- Realignment 12th-16th centuries
  - invasions
  - north: Sultanate of Delhi 1290-1320
  - south: Vijayanagar Kingdom 1336-1565
Developments in Southeast Asia
- kingdom of Funan 1st-6th cen. C.E.
- kingdom of Srivijaya 670-1025
- kingdom of Angkor 889-1431

Muslim and Hindu in India

Political: regionalism vs centralization
Economic: cities, guilds, trade
Social:
- caste
- localization
- women
- Muslim and Hindu relations
  - Kabir, 15th century poet and mystic
Religion and Aesthetic Values:
- Hinduism: Krishna, cows and bullocks
- art and religion
- 4 Ends of Man
  - Dharma
  - Artha
  - Kama
  - Moksha
- court; Akbar
- Mysticism and Poetry
  - Sufi and bhakti
  - Gitagovinda, Krishna and Radhi
- Architecture and Sculpture: Temples
  - carved pillars
  - sculpture: Tara (torso)
  - Pallava temple *
  - Konark Sun temple *, sculpture*
  - Qutb Minar*
- the Vedas: sound samples

Cultural Identites in Southeast Asia

mainland Southeast Asia:
- Burma: Pagan, c. 1050-1270s
- Thailand, Laos, Cambodia
- Khmer kingdom of Angkor
  - political: Jayavarman II 802; royal cult *
  - Angkor Wat. *
  - cultural identity:
  - architecture, art, dance *
- island Southeast Asia
  - trade centers: kingdom of Srivijaya on Sumatra
  - Islam from India
  - Java
    - Saliendras c. 700-900; Kediri (1050-1222); Singosari (1222-92); Majapahit (1293-c.1520)
    - religions
      - Mahayana Buddhism 1st cen. C.E. Borobudur
      - Hinduism 9th cen. Shiva *
      - Islam * 14th cen.
    - identity
      - Shiva, caste
      - Sufism
      - web of kinship
    - aesthetic values
      - masked dance *
      - Javanese gamelan and wayang
Conclusions
- comparison of crosscultural interactions
- dynamics:
Explore!
Go to Syllabus Lecture Outline

kjolly@hawaii.edu 8/24/01