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berge Chairman's Note There is an endless diversity in India starting from its physical features to geologic structure, fauna and flora, demographic structure, races, languages, religions and cults,, arts and crafts and customs and traditions. India has been variously described as "the Mini World", the "epitome of the world" and an "ethnological museum". The diversity in India is unique. Underneath this diversity lies the continuity of Indian civilization and social structure from the very earliest times until the present day. From the very ancient times India not only absorbed the foreign cultures into its composite fold, but it also spread the rich elements of its own unique culture in different parts of the world through religious envoys and through trade and mercantile. It is historically recorded that the Pallava and Chola Sri rulers had cultural contacts with countries like Ilamandalam (Sri Lanka), Vijaya (Sumatra), Chavakam (Java), Kambuja (Cambodia) and Kadaram (Malay Peninsula) and to Champa (Vietnam). Evidences of these early Indian contacts are still found in the art and architecture of these countries. The Southeast Asian countries formed a stronghold of Indian culture from the early centuries of the Christian era. The various Southeast Asian languages show strong influence of Sanskrit. Sanskrit, as is well known, is not a mere language of communication, but is the greatest binding force of integration and perennial source of universal message crossing the geographical boundaries and barriers of different races and cultures. Sanskrit as a language and literature has exercised a great impact on the South East Asian countries. During my first visit to Bali I was struck with wonder when people greeted me with Om Swastyastu! The ceremonial rituals performed here are resonant with the immortal chants of the Gayatri mantra. A girl whom I met during my stay though belonging to the Muslim community had her name Mandakini which reminded me of the poetical saga of the great Sanskrit poet Kalidasa. The aristocrats of the South East Asian countries have their names like Sukarno, Subrato, Mega vrat Shastri Collection, New Delhi. Digitized by eGangotri Meghawati Sukarnaputri, and so on, adopted from the