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Re: India > Kamboja > Khmer

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On Thursday, February 8, 2001 at 9:18:28 PM UTC-8, yo...@webtv.net wrote:
> The Indian academians are familiar with the attempts to neuter the Khmer
> of their Indic roots. 
> 
> It seems that there are those who do not think that the Kamboja had the
> will, capacity, or capability to move from Northwest India, to Uttar
> Pradesh, to Orissa, and other places, in route to the Southeast Asian
> peninsula, and to furthermore provide the catalyst for what would become
> a nation of significance. 
> 
> I have often said that I believe that the true base components of what
> became the "Khmer" people are actually the confluence of two streams of
> "Indian" peoples that arrived in a series of movements over an extended
> period of time, and, as noted by many, the Angkor era was merely a
> climax, most certainly it was NOT the sum total of the Kamboja/Khmer
> existence, and it was definitely not the womb that produced the most
> significant elements of the Khmer heritage or cultural traits. 
> 
> Was there an evolution of a local culture that was distinct in its own
> ways, ... yes, but the same can be said for Kamboja and Gandhara, Jammu
> and Kashmir, etc., yet there too is to be found significant common roots
> sources. 
> 
> I believe that there is sufficient evidence to support the contention
> that the primary founders of what became the Khmer nation-state were
> those Kambojans from what is today's Kashmir/Punjab area of India, but I
> also acknowledge that there was the opportunity for a concurrent or
> subsequent incorporation of peoples from the more southerly and easterly
> parts of the Indian continent, from the general areas of what is today
> Orissa, Bengal, Andra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu states. 
> 
> Not surprisingly, the best source of information for support of those
> perspectives are in some of the Indology and South Asian forums. On the
> Khmer issue, I have seen the North Indian and South Indian researchers
> in convergence on the issue of Indic prominence in the establishment and
> evolution of the Khmer nation-state. To the degree of exclusion of other
> components? ... No, but the most evident, yes. 
> 
> ================================== 
> Some of the gleanings of those discussions follow: 
> 
> Topic: Who were the Indians that went to Cambodia? 
> 
> Topic started by Sujata on Thu Sep 30 2000 
> 
> Cambodian culture as we all know had a high dose :-) of Indian culture
> until some 700 hundred years ago upon the fall of Angkor, starting from
> early B.C. or so. I have learnt that the Indians were the carriers of
> this influence. 
> 
> *       From: Lakhjit Singh Fri Dec 29 2000 Some food for thought
> for the educated readers: 
> 
> 1. In the Dhamaaapala's commentary on petavathu, Davarka (i.e Dvarvati)
> occurs along Kamboja and according to Dr Rhys David, Dvarka was the
> capital of Indian Kamboj country. Dr P. N. Banerjee fixes this Kamboj
> country near the modern Sindh-Gujrat. Dr S. K. Aiyanger also locates
> this Kamboj country in Sindh-Gujrat-Kathiawar. 
> 
> 2. The AnkuraVathu section of the Petavathu (vesrse 257-258) suggests a
> direct path between Davarka (Kathiawar) and Kamboj country. 
> 
> 3. Pali Canon Sasanvamsa (P.T.S) tells us that the son of the king of
> Kamboja mentioned as Tamalinda Mahathera went to Sri Lanka for preaching
> Buddhism. (Sasanvamsa (P.T.S. p 40) 
> 
> 4. Same Pali Canon Sasanvamsa tells us that king of Kamboj, Srihamsya
> from Kamboja country sailed to Sri Lanka and conquered the city Ratna
> Pura. (Sasanvamsa (P.T.S. p 100) 
> 
> 5. In at least five of Sri Lankan rock inscriptions, we find mention of
> some Kamboja people as an ethnic group in ancient Sri lanka. The period
> is deemed to be 100BC to 100 AD according to researchers. 
> 
> 6. Dr Dharam Dasa connects these above mentioned Kaboja/Kamboja people
> with the Kambojas of Kashmir (ref. People of the Lion...The Sinhala
> Identity and Ideaology in History and Philosophy). 
> 
> 7. Pali Chronicles composed in Chiangmai makes a mention of
> "Kambojaraja" from Ligor who defeated the kings of Lopburi and Loo
> respectively and established himself as king of Lovo (Lopburi). 
> 
> 8. Modified names from the ancient term Kamboja like Kambu, Kamboi,
> Kambhe (a people), Cambey are still found in India's Gujarat state to
> this day. 
> 
> 9. Ancient Kambojas have been described by Kautalya as Kasatrya shreni
> living by trade, agriculture and by "wielding weapons." 
> 
> These are indicators that the ancient Kamboja people were living on the
> North or Western region of ancient India.   I am reproducing this
> information from writings of some of the most eminent authorities in the
> world in the field of Indology. 
> 
> Numerous eminent historians write that a section of people from this
> Indian Kamboja country went to the Mekong Valley, along with trading
> classes and had colonized it. (The Kambojas have been described by
> Kautalya as traders, and warriors (Kasatryas) at the same time. Later,
> these Kamboja colonies grew in political power and founded the Chenla
> and later Kambuja kingdoms. 
> 
> One prominent school of scholars holds that it was these Indian Kamboja
> people who gave their name to what is now called Cambodia.
>                  
> 
> 
> *       From: Mani M. Manivannan
> Lakhjit Singh writes: 
>                   "Since ancient
> times, crossing the sea was supposedly a taboo from a Hindu point of
> view. Brahmans strongly discouraged this. And if you did not follow
> Brahmans, you would earn Mlechcha status for you and your families, a
> terrible thought for the Southern Indians indeed!" We all know that the
> Southern (Dravidian) Hindu Brahmans had undoubtedly been very
> conservative and strictest kind of Brahmans. They must have strictly
> discouraged the Southerners to go across sea. 
> 
> The only problem with this is that Tamils (South India) had been trading
> with the Romans long before the Christian era, when the Aryan tribes had
> this taboo. They also controlled much of the trade with South East Asia
> up to and 
> under the great Cholas of the 12th century, they controlled vast
> territories of Sri Vijya empire (that included Java and Kedah) with
> their formidable navies. 
> 
> The Pallavas of south also had a fine navy and had trading relationships
> with the far east. It was from Pallava Kanci that the founder of Zen
> buddhism, himself a Brahmin, started out on his mission to China. The
> taboo against crossing the seas never took root in Tamilnadu and the
> Tamil merchants communities have a long and distinguished record of
> overseas trade. 
> 
> 
> *         From: Lakhjit Singh 
> To Raveen with due humility: 
> 
> There is yet no firm origin for word 'Khmer' from inscriptions or other
> Cambodian sources. In the neighboring Thai speaking Khmer population,
> the Mon-Khmer population are called Khmus which litrally means men. Some
> scholars argue that word Khmer evolved from the term Sanskrit term
> Kambuja or Kamboja itself. 
> 
> However, some others like Dr B. R. Chatterjee state that the word Khmer
> may have been evolved from the Kamar sub-caste of the North Indian
> Kambojas whose ancestors are said to have settled in Farther India
> (Southeast Asia) in ancient times. Importantly, some Kambojas of North
> India still carry this tradition with them. 
> 
> This has also been referred to by famed G. Coedes in his Indianized
> States Text. 
>               "The Kambujas (including 
> Shakas & Kushnas), to all probability, seem to have come to Farther
> India from Northern India. The most probable era of migration could be
> 4th century A.D. There are several instances to substantiate this fact. 
> 
> The popular story of Kambhu-Mera marriage is not based on any scientific
> reasoning, but is steeped in long-standing tradition. It is based on
> ancient myth which prevailed even before the start of AD according to
> scholars. According to this myth, Kambuja is derived from Kambu+Ja = the
> descendents of Swaymbhava Kambu ... a union of Kambhu and the Apsara,
> Mera; And therefore, some scholars say that the word Khmer comes from a
> variation of the combination of Kambhu + Mera; Kam+mer = Kamer! 
> 
> However, if the Cambodian traders /colonists were from South
> (Dravid/Tamil) India, it would be but natural that they could have named
> (or sanskritized) Mekong Valley after Chola, Pandya, Pallava, Kanchi,
> Klinga or after some other Tamil/Dravid names. 
> 
> During Buddhist times, Kamboja Kingdom was one of the 16 great kingdoms
> of Aryan India. It was located in the extreme north...according to some
> scholars extending from east Afghanistan to SE Kashmir (Dr Ray
> Chaudhury, Dr 
> R. C. Majumdar, Dr A. D. Pusalkar, Dr Fauja Singh, Dr L. M. Joshi etc)
> and by others, it was located in the Pamir Badakshan area (Dr J.
> Vidyalankar, Dr Motichander, Dr Suniti Kumar, Dr V. D. Agarwal, Dr
> Lassen, etc.). 
> 
> K. D. Sethna , Dr Jya Lal, as well as some other modern historians have
> proved the possible existence of two Kambojas in North India during the
> early times ... (1) Kamboja, and (2) Parama Kamboja.
>  
> Several Sanskrit texts point towards this fact ... i.e.
> MBH II.27.23 "Darda Saha Kamboja". 
> MBH II.27.25 "Lohan ParamaKamboja Rsikan Uttaran api" 
> 
> Thus we see Kamboja and Parama Kamboja lands are mentioned
> simultaneously in one breath in the same shloka of MBH. 
> 
> Rajtrangini of Kalhana and Raghuvamsa of Kalidass also point towards
> this historical fact. The Kamboja was located in an area that extended
> from south of Kashmir, up to near Afghanistan, while Parama Kamboja was
> located in Pamir-Badakshan area at the Oxus river, a little further to
> the north in the extreme East Hindu Kush. 
> 
> The list of kingdoms per the Anguttara Nakaya mentions Kamboja and
> Gandhara among 16 great kingdoms of ancient India like Kashi, Kosala,
> Kuru, Panchala, Anga, Magadha, Sursena, Avanti etc. 
> 
> Regarding the so-called Indian Invasion theory ... I have never stated
> that the Kambojas or any other people from India had invaded Farther
> India and forcibly colonized it. It never happened like that. 
> 
> Rather, the starting point was the trade and commerce factor. Kambojas
> have traditionally been traders, agriculturist and warriors since the
> Vedic age. They are described as traders and warriors at the same time
> in Kautalya Arathshastera. e.g. 
> "Kamboja-Saurashtra Kashatrya-Shrenyadhyo-vartashasteropjiven" (Kautaly
> Arathshaster 11/1/4) 
> 
> This means: Kambojas and Saurashtra Kasatryas (Alliances of Warriors)
> live by trade, agriculture and by wielding weapons. 
> 
> So, evidence that the Kamboja people were traders and warriors at the
> same time. This factor must have proved them especially versatile while
> trading and colonizing in Far India. It was similar to the beginning of
> the European colonization of East India of 18/19th centuries AD.
> Starting factor was surely trade, but the later on, with growth, the
> political factors must have become a factor.
>                       
> 
> Manusmiriti X-43-44 tells us:
> Shanaikstu kiryalopadhima: 
> Kashatrya jatyas: 
> Vryshtavnagalokey brahuminadarshanayan: 
> Paundaraka Choda Dravida Kamboja Yavana: 
> Saka Parda Pahlva China Kirata Darda Khash: (Manu Smriti X-43-44). 
> 
> In reference to above shlokas of Manusmriti, Prof Sudarshan Bhandari
> observes as follows: 
> "................The Sakas were portrayed as a white skinned tribe
> according to legend of the contest between Vashista and Vishwamitra of
> epics. According to Manusmriti, X, 43-44, they, along with Paundarkaas,
> Ordas (who were called Andhras in Indian History), Dravidas, Kambojas
> (the Vermas who later rule in Cambodia), yavanas, Pardas, pahlvas 9the
> Verma kings of Mammalapuram), China Chin rulers of China?), Kiratas (the
> rulers of Nepal Mountains), Dardas and Khasa as Vartya Kashetryas
> (Kalluka's comments). .........." 
> 
> Here we see that Professor Tiwari also accepts that the Verma kings of
> Cambodia were the ancient Kambojas (from Northern India) as mentioned in
> our numerous Sanskrit texts including Manusmriti, Mahabharata, Ramayana,
> Kautalya, Puranas, Ashatadhaye etc. 
> 
> ================================== 
> 
> 
> *       From: Lakhjit Singh 
> 
> In response to Linga's posting, again I would rather like to quote the
> distinguished French professor, George Coedes, an authority on Kamboja
> culture and historian who rightly commented on the claims of Indian
> research scholars on 'Far India' thus: 
>             "Whence came the Indians who
> emigrated to Farther India, and where did they embark from? Much
> research has been done on this subject. Undoubtedly, those who are most
> concerned and involved in this research, the Indian historians, have not
> always approached it with the desired objectivity: if these historians
> were natives of Madras, they attributed the honor of having colonized
> 'Greater India' to the Tamils: if they were from Calcuta, they
> attributed it to the Bengalese......" 
> 
> Eventually, this distinguished researcher, who has spent 50 long years
> arduously studying and deciphering archaeological records, chronicles
> and epigraphics of Kambodian kings, was finally inclined to relate the
> Kambodian kings of Indo China to the Kambojas from the Northern-West
> frontiers regions of India (Ref: Indianized States of South-East 1964,
> page 47. 
> 
> This distinguished researcher has also quoted from: 'A current Tradition
> among the Kambojas of North-India relating to the Khmers of Cambodia'
>   AA, XXIV (1961), Page 253 by Dr B. R. Chatterjee. 
> 
> Also ref to 'The Kamboja People and the Country' 1979 by Dr. J. L.
> Kamboj) 
> 
> The facts about the origin of Indianization in Cambodia which I have
> included in my previous posting are not mine. They are from several very
> eminent researchers and scholars on Indology as well as on 'Greater
> India' history. The dust on the Cambodia issue has not settled down yet. 
> However, as we have seen, after spending 50 years in research on 
> Cambodian culture and history, G. Coedes himself was finally inclined to
> connect the Kambojas of North-West India with the ancient Cambodian
> Indianization ..... especially numerous in the second Indianization of
> Cambodia. In the so-called second Indianization of Indo China, we find
> Kushans, Sakas and Kambojas pouring into Mekong Valley during 4/5th
> century AD in the wake of Gupta/Sassanian expansionism in north India. 
> 
> ****     "As a result of Kabol valley occupation by Sassanian King
> Shahpuhra II, and the rise of Gupta power and the defeat of Kushans of
> North-West India at the hands of Samuder Gupta around 4th century AD, an
> exodus of the Kushan, Kamboja and Saka people occurred towards the
> Mekong Basin of South-East Asia. These tribes soon established
> themselves in this region and later one of their chiefs rose to power,
> and usurped Funan kingdom and laid the foundations of Kamboj empire".
> (Ref: India and the world 1964 p 71, 155 by Dr. Buddha Parkash) 
> 
> Both Dravidians (South India) and the North Indian Aryans originally
> come from same group of human race. And the 'skin color' is only a
> function of the climatic conditions & the geographical locales in which
> one lives. 
> 
> Not all Northerners are 'fair colored'. You can see color varying from
> fair to dark complexions for the Northies as well. The ones in the
> extreme north are fair colored, but the more you move towards the south,
> the more deep-colored you become ... it does not matter whether you are
> an Aryan or Dravidian or anyone else. Thus the skin color argument is
> fallacious argument. 
> 
> The migration of northern Aryans ... and the Kambojas, Sakas and Kushans
> etc. to Indo-China, was in no way a mass one-time migration. Their
> population never replaced the original population. Rather, they formed a
> portion of it and supplemented it. The migration groups at times
> included members of the royal house, the soldiers, and to some extent
> the Brahman and Srahman missionaries and formed the elite layer of the
> Khmers (G. Coedes). 
> 
> This initially comparatively small class of Northern Aryan immigrants
> inter-marry, generation after generation into the local population. 
> 
> Slowly and steadily, this admixing process continued unabated over
> centuries. End result ..... the ethnicity of minority groups was lost in
> what became the majority Khmer ethnicity. The genetics of this now
> majority Khmer population dominated with a modification due to Aryan
> Indians. Their common descendents had assumed all the hues and features
> of those with whom they had admixed. 
> 
>       Remember that this Khmer/Aryan blood mixing process was
> spread 
> over much more than 1500 years!!! 
> Undoubtedly, a Dravidian, Vedda and Negreto substratum did exist in Indo
> China soil prior to the arrival of what came to be known as the 'Khmers'
> on the 
> Cambodian scene. (G. Coedes). This substratum was submerged in the later
> waves of a Khmer population from Southern Burma. The Melanesian and
> Dravidian blood admixture which Linga is referring to is partly due to
> this admixture and partly a mixture due to the later-time Dravidian
> traders and commercing people coming from contiguous South India to SE
> Asia in the succeeding several centuries. 
> 
> As has been stated, since ancient times, crossing the sea was supposedly
> a taboo from the Hindu point of view. Brahmans strongly discouraged
> this. And if you did not follow Brahmans, you would earn Mlechcha status
> for you and your families, a terrible thought for the Southern Indians
> indeed! 
> 
> We all know that the Southern (Dravidian) Hindu Brahmans had undoubtedly
> been very conservative and the strictest kind of Brahmans. They must
> have strictly discouraged the Southerners to go across sea. 
> 
>         On the other hand, we also know that the
> Northern Brahmans and 
> Kashatryas were very less orthodox. Therefore, it is quite logical and
> natural that the Kashatryas princes, soldiers, and the priestly class
> (Brahmans/Srahmans) who followed the traders to Far India (Cambodia) and
> founded the Kamboja/Kambuja empire in the olden days, were originally
> the Kambojas, Sakas and Kushans from Northern India. 
> 
> Angkor Vat is the product of 13th century Cambodian culture and
> religion. By that time, there had occurred vast changes in the
> political, religious, and cultural history of Cambodia, Java, Chams and
> Sumatra. There was extensive cultural, commercial and religious
> intercourse between the SE Asians, including Cambodians on the one hand,
> and the South Indians and Sri Lankans of the mediaval era on the other.
> Saivism, Theravada Buddhism and Mahayana Buddhism all played their roles
> well at different phases of Cambodian history. 
> 
> It is only natural that the model of Angkor-Vat Temple should
> unmistakeably have the artistic and religious flavour and overtones from
> its comparatively neighbouring South Indian Hindus. The Chola Kings of
> the 11/12 centuries had extensive cultural and political relations with
> the Kambuja/Kamboja empire. From Bengalese history, we learn that the
> Bengalese Pala Kamboj kings were Vedic Hindus. 
> 
> Also we have evidence from Chidamdram Inscriptions (12th c AD Kamboja
> King Deva Pala of North Bengal vs Rajinder Chola) that the Pala Kamboja
> kings of North Bengal also had very good and cordial relationship with
> Chola Kings. So nothing surprising here. 
> 
>         Since ancient times, the Indian Kambojas had
> been very much Vedic 
> Hindus, though many also being staunch Buddhists. But again, the Angkor
> Vat factor goes only to explain the 'end result', and NOT the ancient
> 'origin' of the Kambodian Indianization. 
> 
> Another intersting point: Many Kambojas, Kushans and Sakas of the
> Northern India had adopted Buddhism in large numbers during Asoka as
> well as later two/three centuries. From Brahmanical point of view, they
> became Mlechchas' and were thus exempt from the Brahmanical social
> strictures applying to those crossing the sea. Also Buddhism was a
> revolutionary religion based on equality with no caste barriers. The
> stigma of earning Mlechcha status from Buddhist Sramans was never an
> issue for Buddhist north Indians. 
> Thus the Kamboja, Saka and Kushan Kasatryas and their soldiers, along
> with Brahmanas and Sramanas from North India comfortably went abroad to
> Indo-China peninsula unburdened by the above said religious and social
> barriers. 
> 
> 
> ================================== 
> 
> *       From: Raveen
>                  
> Question:       "Why did the ancient Khmer Kings choose to
> designate their kingdom and land adoption as KAMBUJA OR KAMBOJA after
> the 'tribal name' of the Kambuja or Kamboja Aryan people from the
> north-west region of ancient India? Why didn't they choose something
> like a Dravidian name, if they were Dravidians? Can you give me a
> scientific explanation for it? I am very curious to know about it?" 
> Reply:                   Have you heard about
> Sanskritization? When South East Asia was colonized by Indian merchant
> groups followed by Priests and Cheifs, local names were Sanskritized
> just like in peninsular India. Many places in South East Asia have
> cities, places and entire kingdoms named after places in India. For
> example Madura in Indonesia, Ayothya In Thailand, Mount Meru in Cambodia
> and the examples are numerous. 
> 
> The commonly accepted derivation of Kamboja for - Cambodians, is that it
> was the Sankritized version of a local name for the Khmer. 
> 
> Except in the case of Sri Lanka and a couple of cases in the Indies, no
> Indian tribe or clan had ever used military force outside India. 
> 
> The colonization was largely based on culture, and passive acceptance of
> it by the locals, it was never "invasive." 
> 
> ==================================
> ================================== 
> 
> From: Your-Indian-Friend 
> A GOOD-BYE POSTING 
> 
> To all my dear Indian friends Again, I am not a historian at all. I am
> your very ordinary Indian brother, putting forth information from
> various schools and points of view for the interest of all of you
> readers and intellectuals. It is not my intent to forcibly convert to
> the views of this school, which is distinct from Tamil and Bengalese
> schools of views on Far India. 
> 
> To my learned friend/brother Raveen with regards: I have never been a
> visitor to the Indian Civilization discussion group, etc., you have
> mentioned. And believe me, we are meeting here for the first time. But a
> real nice meeting indeed! 
> 
> To my brother/friend Hemant, who is surely also a very learned person, I
> extend my heartiest thanks if he found some useful information from my
> postings regarding the Khmers and Kambodian Architecture vs Dravidian
> Architecture of south India etc. 
> 
> HERE IS THE LAST INSTALLMENT FROM MY SIDE, FOR ALL OF YOU TO PONDER OVER
> AND DO FURTHER STUDIES IF YOU CAN! 
> 
> TRADITIONAL ORIGIN OF KAMBUJA/KHMER - TERMS ACCORDING TO KAMBODIAN
> INSCRIPTIONS, etc. 
> 
> (i)As per Kang Tai and Chu ying, Chinese missionaries of 3rd century AD
> who attended the courts of Funanese Hindu kings (Pelliot "Le Founan" p
> 303, Indianized States G. Coedes p37). 
> Kanudynia (Huntieu) + Nagi Soma --------------------- Origin of Kings of
> Funan. (line of Solar kings) 
> 
> (ii) Per Cambodian Dynastic legend preserved in 9th century inscription,
> the origin of Kings of Kambuja is shown to be due to the union of:
> (Louis Finot, Sylvain. Levi) 
> Svayambhuva Kambu +Mera nymph ----------------- Origin of Kings of
> Kambuja 
> 
> According to Coedes and others scholars, this mythical union of
> Svayambhu Kambu and nymph Mera was coined to show the origin of the name
> 'Khmer". This shows that Kamboja was not Sanskritized from 'Khmer' but
> 'Khmer' was shown as originated from Kamboj through this interesting
> mythical fusion/union of Kambu (Kambuja/Kamboja) and a local name Mera.
> Thus the word Kambuj appeared for the first time in record in the 9th
> century Cambodian inscriptions. We do not either find any record of name
> Khmer in the written record or inscriptions of Kambodia. We know that
> the southern Indians are, and have been more dedicated Saivites than the
> Northern Indians. The Original Kambodians kings were also followers of
> Saivism. 
> 
> Does this show that the original Brahmans must have come from Southern
> India (or both from North and Southern India)? 
> 
> It seems to be a pure speculation to say that the Brahmans came from
> North alone and they, therefore, coined Cambodians local names after
> Northern Indian place/country names. It is not sustainable argument to
> my opinion. Granted that the Brahmans only came from North India, why
> should they choose comparatively a very less important name Kamboja from
> North (which was also definitely less Aryans than the Madhyadesha
> kingdoms ) leaving very famed old Aryans kingdom names like Kuru,
> Panchal, Kosal, Chedi, Vats, Magadh, Avanti, Kling, Gandhar, Madra,
> Matasya, Assaka, Anga etc. 
> 
> Moreover, during this phase of Indian history, Kambojas, including some
> other northern and southern tribes were delegated to the status of
> Degraded Kasatryas or Mlechchas, because many of them had became
> followers of non-brahmanical way of life. Their land 'Kamboja' also
> started to be called the land of Mlechchas. 
> 
> Question arises as to why the North Brahmans should like to name
> Cambodia after the name of Mlechcha Kamboja..... the land of the
> so-called un-Arya or unbrahmanical Kasatryas? 
> 
>         Buddhist Canons tell us that in the land of
> Kambojas, there were 
> only two classes of people --- Arya and Dasa. A Dasa can become Arya and
> vice versa. E.g "Yona kambojesu dveva vanna, Ayyo C'eva Dasoca"
> (Majjihma Nakaya II, 149). Thus, in Kamboja country, the Brahman,
> Ksatrya and Vaisha people coexisted, not in a classified society like
> their neighboring Madhyadeshi Aryans. 
> 
> Kamboja lands, to all intents and purposes, became a classless set-up
> during the 3/2 centuries BC. (Probably the Kambojas picked up some
> influence of neighboring (Yona) Greek people during this time and had
> adopted aspects of their social order of classless society. This is
> further verified from Panini's Ganapatha on Panini's rule II.1.72, which
> says: 
>     "Kamboja-mundah-yavana-mundah ... both observing similar
> head-dressing)." 
> 
> The Kambojas were Brahminas, Kasatryas and Vaishas, - all at at the same
> time and there was unrestricted movement from one occupation /profession
> to another among these Aryan people of NW India. 
> 
> The same fact is also contained in the Kautalya Arathshastra:
> "Kamboja-Saurashtra Ksatrya shrenyadhyo-varta-shastr-opjivin" (Kautalya
> arath shaster 11/1/4). 
> 
>         This above also shows that people of Kambojas
> could practice Brahmanism, Kasatryhood and Vaishism at will. A trader
> could perform the duties of Kasatrya and Brahman if need be. Thus for
> trade and colonization, polticization, and Sanskritization, all
> functions could have originally been taken care of by the same trading
> peoples in the Mekong Valley. 
> 
> This attribute and characteristic of the Kambojan society must have
> helped them when they first established themselves in the far lands of
> SE Indo-china. 
> 
> Ancient Kamboja Country as a famous Trade Center: There is evidence
> preserved in Buddhist Canons and the modern identification of the
> ancient land of Kamboja, that show that the land of Kamboja undoubtedly
> was a commercial hub .... a trade center. Several trade routes
> originated from Kamboja country such as: 
> 
> Kamboja-Kapisi-Pushkravati-Takshila-Sindu-Sauvir-Dravati to the west) 
> Kamboja-Pushkravati-Sakali-Mathura-Kausambi-Varanasi-Pataliputra-tamralipiti 
> (to east) 
> 
> Kamboja-Karakorum-Kinnara-Garwal-Kamrup another route to east) 
> 
> Kamboja-Kashgar-Yarkandh-Khotan-Sinkiang-Nan.Chao-Tonkin Chiang Kien. 
> 
> Chinese Envoy to Bactria (127 BC) leaves us evidence of Bamboos and
> textiles from SW China - sold in local markets of Afghanistan. On his
> enquiry, he learnt that these goods were brought to East India through
> Yunnan, Burma -Tamralipti from which they then came all the way to North
> India-Afghanistan. 
> 
> Besides, there was a land trade route from Tamralipiti to Manipur -
> Assam - Burma - Nanchao - Tonkin which some traders were also following
> in times of need. 
> 
> Thus there was an extensive trade relationship between India -
> Afghanistan land and the South China lands existing very much prior to
> Christian era. And we have already seen demonstrated that the ancient
> Kambojas people were certainly very good traders and warriors, by
> Kautalya and some other Sanskrit sources like MBH. Even in the west
> China, the Silk trade between Sinkinag/China and rest of NW India passed
> through the Param Kamboja country (Pamir/Badakshan). 
> 
> We have a couple of documented routes between Kamboj/Balkh and Sinkiang
> province of China e.g 
> Kamboj-Taskant-Aqsu-Qurghan-Sinkiang 
> Kamboja-Kashgar-Yarkandh-Khotan-Sinkiang 
> 
> From Kamboj to Dvaravati (Kathiawar), a direct route is also attested by
> Ankuravatthu section of the Petavatthu (257-258). 
> 
> Kambojans were constantly in touch with Dvaravati (Kathiawar) and from
> there they regularly sailed to Sri Lanka for trade via the sea. No
> doubt, we find the proof of this also from the Sinhalese Rock
> inscriptions, five of which mention among the local tribes the ethnic
> Kaboja/Kamboja people. 
> 
> Eminent Sri Lankan and Indian historians connect these Kaboja/Kamboja
> people with the Kamboja people of North India - Gandhara Group, the same
> people who find mention in Asoka's numerous rock inscriptions: 
> (Yona-kamboja-Gandharam...ref: Asoka Edict V, for example). 
> 
> There are hints contained in the Pali Canons of Sri Lanka (early
> centuries AD) that the people of Kambojas from North India were
> commercially, culturally and politically in touch with each other. 
> 
> From Pali Canons, we learn that King of Kamboja's son named Tamalinda
> Mahathera was a celebrated Buddhist preacher who preached Theravada in
> Sri Lanka (Sasanvamsa (P.T.S) p 40). 
> 
> Also we learn that a KambojaRaja named Srihmsya came from Kamboja
> country (North India) and conquored Ratana Pura City/province of Sri
> Lanka. (op Cit p100). 
> All these pointers shows that Kambojan traders from North India were
> also expert seafarers, and were also very familiar with Sri Lankan land
> as early as c 200 BC. 
> 
> From the above we also can conclude that commercial, religious, cultural
> and political relationships existed between these two lands in time
> phase between 300BC-200AD. 
> 
> It is not too difficult to conceive that after establishing a commercial
> and political presence in Sri lanka, these Kambojan traders then could
> have started visiting SE Indochina lands to further develop/expand their
> trade. 
> 
> Some other food for thought for my esteemed and educated friends on this
> thread: 
> 
> (1) Kambojan presence in Ayudhya is recognized since the later Vedic
> period of ancient Indian history. The Kambojas along with Haiya
> Kasatryas had dethroned King Bahu of Ayudhya and usurped Ayudhya ruled
> over it for well over 30 years. ( Harivamsa Purana, Vayu Purana and
> Vishnu Purana). 
> 
> (2) The Kambojan presence is also recognized in the Mathura area since
> Epic era because according to Mahabharata, the Kambojas are said to have
> conquered Mathura and ruled over it for indefinite time (MBH 12/102/5).
> The Kamboja presence in Mathura is also recognized in the Mathura Lion
> Capital inscriptions of c 1 A.D. 
> 
> (3) During 200 B.C., the Kambojas from their original Kamboja lands from
> North India - Afghanistan started further expanding into the Punjab,
> Sindh, Sauvir, Malva and Uttar Pradesh area. Also, one other section
> went to Bihar, Bengal and Orissa and permanently settled there. (Vishal
> Kambo page 16 by Dr Jya Lal). 
> 
> (4) Kambojas find mention in Ashoka's Sirnar or Sirinagar in Junagard
> Gujrat/Kathiawar, Kalsi in Dehradun and Dhauli in Bhubhneshwar in Orissa
> also, besides in Kandhar, Lamghan in East Afghanistan and Shahbazgarhi
> in Northwest Frontier Pakistan areas. 
> 
>         Thus, from the above we see that the Kambojas
> presence is also 
> recognized in Gujrat/Kathiawar and Bhubneshwara/Orissa as early as
> Ashoka's times - 300 B.C.   Even from Braht Samhita of Vrahamihira, we
> find footprints of Kambojas somewhere near the Gujrat area. 
> 
> (5) According to the Brahman Purana (4th century A.D.) the presence of
> Kambojas is recognized in Assam and Tamaralipti (Tamaluk) region of
> Bengal also. Several historians find the foot prints of Kamboja people
> passing in the Tibet area or its borderlands. According to Nepali
> traditions, the Kambojadesha name applies to some settlers in Tibet
> (Foucher..Iconographie Buddhique' p 134, also ref Charles Eliot, Dr
> Ghokhale). V. A. Smith also locates Kambojas in Tibet and in Hindu Kush
> mountains. 
> 
> (6) The Burmese and Tibetean chronicles and lores make mention of a
> country called Kampchih or Kampotes located somewhere in-between Assam
> and Burma. This, to all probability is the Kamboja settlement as
> referred to in the Brahman Purana pointed above. 
> According to eminent Scholars (Dr P. C. Baghchi, R.C. Majumdar, A.D.
> Pusalkar etc.) this Kamboj country was distinct from the
> Yona-Kamboja-Gandhara group of North India. Probably, this was a section
> of the eastern branch of Pamirian Kambojan people who later moved
> towards Assam and had colonized this region which later became known as
> another 'Kamboja' country, around 3/4 century AD. 
> 
> It could be possible to think also that some Kambojas from this land had
> also later moved further onwards towards Mekong Valley in the 4/5 c AD
> and established themselves in that land. 
> 
> (6) We also find mention of a certain Kambojaraja in the Chindambram
> Inscription where this Kambojaraja is said to have made a precious
> present to Rajendra Chola. He was a good friend of Rajendra Chola and is
> said to have sought his military help against the non-Kamboj Bengalese
> Pala kings. 
> 
> The information I have put up above shows that there is documentary
> proof of a concentrations of Kamboja people in several Eastern Indian
> areas since before the start of AD era. (Assam, Tibetean borderlands,
> Tamarlipiti in Bengal, and Bhubneshwera in Orissa etc). 
> 
> Presence of ancient Kambojas is also recognized in Kathiawar/Gujarat and
> is also proved by Girinar Inscriptions of Ashoka and some other
> historical records. 
> There has been ancient commercial sea traffic recognized between the
> Saurashtra region and Sri Lanka. Further, the presence of Kambojas is
> documentarily recognized in Sri Lanka from its inscriptions and Pali
> Canons as stated in above. (200BC-200AD). And I also believe, the
> Sri-Lankans, like their Tamils brethren, have been in touch with these
> Indo-Chinese lands of Far India since before the start of AD era. 
> 
> I am leaving this information for my friends to ponder over. The only
> purpose of my postings on this thread was to provide some information
> for you very educated and intellectual readers of this site, from a
> third school view point, (which has hitherto been neglected in the
> studies of Farther India by Tamils and Bengalese historians for obvious
> reasons) ... and thereby set up the process of thinking and
> re-evaluation.   My respected brother Raveen calls me as belonging to
> a class of 'out-of-mainstream' historians. It is very easy to move with
> the crowd, but it is real challenging to move on the untrodden paths.
>  It is a very difficult task and needs guts indeed. 
> 
> 
> ================================== 
> JY: The above is just a small fraction of the material that is becoming
> more available on the India-Kamboja-Khmer connection. 
> 
> It is obvious that the Kambojas not only were capable of extensive
> mobility, they were actively mobile even back into the pre-Christian
> era. 
> 
> South Indian researcher on this subject, K.D. Thirunavukkarasu, has
> stated his suspicions that there are yet more sources of documentary
> evidence of the Indian (North and South) presence in Southeast Asia that
> will confirm the antiquity of that contact. He has expressed concern
> about records in some of the Southeast Asian countries, most notably
> Thailand, and he has noted that the Thai have subjected ancient texts to
> revision and what are called "redactions." 
> 
> No doubt, as time goes by, more and more of these texts and other forms
> of evidence are either destroyed, defaced, or perpetually sequestered.
> Those whose objective is to "bleach" the Indic element out of the
> history of Southeast Asia, ... especially out of the Khmer history, ...
> they will have succeeded in erasing a substantial source of refence on
> the heritage and cultural linkage between a people, ... the Khmer, and
> their Indian ancestry. 
> 
> If the "bleachers" succeed in their mission, I will feel sympathy for
> the Khmer, because they will have been robbed of their history ... but I
> will pity the "bleachers" even more, because their "victory" will not be
> one worthy of praise, but it will be one in the same vein as Hitler,
> Stalin, Mao, and Pol Pot, ... the only difference being that in this
> case, no blood will be spilled, ... only ink, yet a people will vanish
> from the earth. 
> 
> Jai Kambudesa 
> 
> Jai Hind 
> 
> Jim

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