How an Indian Merchant Became Cambodia's First King: a Story of Indianization

Yep, you read that right. Cambodia’s first king (Kaundinya) was an Indian merchant! But Kaundinya is more than just a man. He symbolizes over 1000 years of Indian influence in the region, a connection that would change the face of Southeast Asia forever. In this video, I'll introduce you to the Kaundinya-Soma love story, but I'll also introduce you to many other Indians and Southeast Asians whose experiences reveal a lot about the Indianization process. In fact, we'll even explore a “reverse“ story: that of Nandi Varman II, a SE Asian prince who claims the Pallava Dynasty throne and becomes the greatest of the Pallava kings. Enjoy! -- Further reading: “Ocean of Churn,“ by Sanjeev Sanyal “The Indianized States of Southeast Asia,“ by George Coedes