A Monk’s Travelogue: Sadanand Swami on India and Southeast Asia Relation; A Nationalist Exploration

By : Debarati Ganguly

Page No: 91-100

Abstract
In the twentieth century, discussion about the relation between India and Southeast Asia and consequent Indian impact over the latter became an important part of the subject called ‘Greater India’. This thematic approach involved various genres of literary attributes which played an important role to highlight on India’s cultural influence in the Southeast Asian nations. Books and articles written by the famous Greater India scholars formed a significant part of this historiography. Along with this, travel narratives recorded by the individual travellers were also important source of relevant discussion as these documented authors’ own experiences. Among such travelogues, Sadanand Swami’s records demand attention. These reflect views of an Indian monk who did not have any direct connection with the institutional research of Greater India yet offered in-depth introspection of various aspects of Indian influence existed in the Southeast Asian regions. In this article, I have tried to give an idea how this undiscussed travel story can be used as a source of history regarding the relation between India and Southeast Asia.

Author :
Debarati Ganguly : Assistant Professor, Postgraduate Department of History, St. Xavier’s College (autonomous), Kolkata
 

DOI: https://doi.org/10.32381/SEAR.2023.48.6