DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.75620#0082
CHAPTER V
GANESA IN BURMA, SIAM, INDO-CHINA
THE gradual occupation of Indo-China by Hindu emigrants began at a very
early date, possibly in the early centuries preceding our era.1 The peaceful
invaders came by sea or overland via Burma ; and the slow process of Indianization
brought with it the adoption of Brahmanism as well as Buddhism, and the worship
of Indian gods.
As innumerable small images of Ganesa have been found in Burma, Siam, and
west Indo-China which are Hindu in type, it is thought that they were probably
brought to these countries by Indian traders who carried them along with their
merchandise in order to propitiate the 'Remover of Obstacles' and thus secure
success in their commercial enterprises. Strangely enough, no small Hindu images
of this type have been found in east Indo-China although Saivism was flourishing
there as early as in Cambodia. From this it seems probable that the worship of
Ganesa was introduced into Champa by Hindu devotees or Brahman priests rather
than by Indian traders.
Burma was the first etape in the eastward exodus of the Hindus from north-east
India. Crossing the Bay of Bengal, they found the population of the deltaic region
of lower Burma, which was inhabited by the Mon, given over to a form of Hinayanist
Buddhism hostile to the cult of gods and goddesses. The trader-colonists succeeded,
however, in setting up their deities at an early date, if we judge from the images of
Visnu, Brahma, Ganesa, and other Hindu gods, dating from the sixth and seventh
centuries, that have been found in lower Burma.2 Upper Burma, on the contrary,
was Mahayanist, and Tantric Mahayanism, with its pantheon of gods and goddesses,
was in favour as late as the eleventh century. When Brahmanism spread to north
Burma, a more fertile field was thus found for the introduction of the Hindu gods;
and while in lower Burma no Brahman deity was allowed in a Buddhist temple, in
upper Burma, as seen in the Shwesandaw pagoda at Pagan, for example, Ganesa in
company with other Hindu gods was placed in guard of the ancient Buddhist shrine.
Although statues of Ganesa have been found in upper and lower Burma, his popu-
larity was greatest with the commercial population in the deltaic region, where
great numbers of small images of the type referred to above have been discovered,
and where he was known and worshipped as Mahapienne.3 None of the representa-
tions of Ganesa in Burma, however, are of interest either from the point of view of
art or of iconography, being crude in execution and of the well-known Hindu types ;
but a most remarkable stela was discovered in the ruins of a Brahmanic temple at
Pagan4 which will be described below when comparing it with a Khmer and with
a Cham statue, all three of which have the same unusual features.
Pushing farther eastward, the Indian travellers found the Mon also established
1 According to Sir Charles Eliot, probably in 3 Idem, p. 69.
the beginning of our era. B. and B., vol. iii, p. 103. 4 Idem, Pl. XXI. X.
2 B. G. in B., Ray, p. 9.
GANESA IN BURMA, SIAM, INDO-CHINA
THE gradual occupation of Indo-China by Hindu emigrants began at a very
early date, possibly in the early centuries preceding our era.1 The peaceful
invaders came by sea or overland via Burma ; and the slow process of Indianization
brought with it the adoption of Brahmanism as well as Buddhism, and the worship
of Indian gods.
As innumerable small images of Ganesa have been found in Burma, Siam, and
west Indo-China which are Hindu in type, it is thought that they were probably
brought to these countries by Indian traders who carried them along with their
merchandise in order to propitiate the 'Remover of Obstacles' and thus secure
success in their commercial enterprises. Strangely enough, no small Hindu images
of this type have been found in east Indo-China although Saivism was flourishing
there as early as in Cambodia. From this it seems probable that the worship of
Ganesa was introduced into Champa by Hindu devotees or Brahman priests rather
than by Indian traders.
Burma was the first etape in the eastward exodus of the Hindus from north-east
India. Crossing the Bay of Bengal, they found the population of the deltaic region
of lower Burma, which was inhabited by the Mon, given over to a form of Hinayanist
Buddhism hostile to the cult of gods and goddesses. The trader-colonists succeeded,
however, in setting up their deities at an early date, if we judge from the images of
Visnu, Brahma, Ganesa, and other Hindu gods, dating from the sixth and seventh
centuries, that have been found in lower Burma.2 Upper Burma, on the contrary,
was Mahayanist, and Tantric Mahayanism, with its pantheon of gods and goddesses,
was in favour as late as the eleventh century. When Brahmanism spread to north
Burma, a more fertile field was thus found for the introduction of the Hindu gods;
and while in lower Burma no Brahman deity was allowed in a Buddhist temple, in
upper Burma, as seen in the Shwesandaw pagoda at Pagan, for example, Ganesa in
company with other Hindu gods was placed in guard of the ancient Buddhist shrine.
Although statues of Ganesa have been found in upper and lower Burma, his popu-
larity was greatest with the commercial population in the deltaic region, where
great numbers of small images of the type referred to above have been discovered,
and where he was known and worshipped as Mahapienne.3 None of the representa-
tions of Ganesa in Burma, however, are of interest either from the point of view of
art or of iconography, being crude in execution and of the well-known Hindu types ;
but a most remarkable stela was discovered in the ruins of a Brahmanic temple at
Pagan4 which will be described below when comparing it with a Khmer and with
a Cham statue, all three of which have the same unusual features.
Pushing farther eastward, the Indian travellers found the Mon also established
1 According to Sir Charles Eliot, probably in 3 Idem, p. 69.
the beginning of our era. B. and B., vol. iii, p. 103. 4 Idem, Pl. XXI. X.
2 B. G. in B., Ray, p. 9.