Sunday, December 7, 2014

Sanskrit ( संस्कृत ) Words ............................................... in Indonesian Language (Bahasa Indonesia) Part - I


Apart from fascinating Culture , the another most striking factor of Indonesia is it's Language (Bahasa Indonesia). I was really amazed to hear similar words from my maid when first time came to Indonesia. Words from Sanskrit Language , the root language of Official Indian language Hindi , are mix with Bahasa Indonesia (भाषा इंडोनेशिया). Some Sanskrit / Hindi words which are still being used in Bahasa Indonesia , are obsolete from spoken Hindi in India .. like for " Wife - Istri स्त्री and Husband - Suami स्वामी ". Lol ..... I too had a hard time to call my Husband Suami (स्वामी ) and my self Wife Istri (स्त्री) where ever ... when ever an introduction of both of us is required as Husband and Wife.

Sanskrit words and sentences are also used in Names, Titles, and Mottoes of the "Indonesian National Police" and "Indonesian Armed Forces" which add a Powerful Meaning to its Titles and Mottoes. Sanskrit words also contribute more subtle meaning to Official and Formal Languages of Indonesia .

I would love to quote Part of a Research Paper "The Competition of Religious Terms in Sanskrit and Arabic" submitted by Nazar Gendut in reference to Sanskrit / Hindi words which are still being used in Indonesian Language despite of its Islamic Majority.


QUOTE

" ..... However, we still can feel the Effects of Sanskrit Language from some of the recipient language, which used to be borrowing from Sanskrit. Indonesian language is one of the evidence that showed the effects of Sanskrit. I can say that Sanskrit had introduced Indonesian people with Religious Concepts. On the transitional period Islam had already came to Indonesia and started spreading through Indonesian Culture, which already was strongly influenced by Hindu Culture.

From the "Hikayat Si Miskin Manuscript", it can be concluded that Islam influences in Indonesia could not totally effect Indonesian language, especially the Religious Concepts of Indonesian people. We can see from the evidence that some Sanskrit words in Religious Terminology still having HIGH durability in Indonesian Language vocabulary.

The interesting point on the data in Islam seems that it could not replace some meaning element, which already had strong roots with Sanskrit. For example, the Sanskrit word Surga (स्वर्ग) ‘Heaven’ and Neraka (नर्क) ‘Hell’, which both derived from Sanskrit are still being widely used by Indonesian speaker until present times. Some of Indonesian people names are mentioning the Hindu’s God names such as Indera इंद्र, Brahma ब्रह्मा, Wisnu विष्णु, Dewa देव, Siva शिव etc.

On the Mythological Category, Indonesian Language had borrowed Bidadari (विद्या धरी) "Angel , a messenger from a deity" and Raksasa (राक्षस) from Sanskrit and Jin from Arabic. Besides that, Indonesian language also borrowed the word Malaikat and Nabi from Arabic. The example of the term for death and life hereafter category is the use of word Surga (स्वर्ग) and Neraka (नर्क) from Sanskrit and Kiamat from Arabic.

In the field of Religious activity, Indonesian language has two different words for ‘pray’, which are Sholat from Arabic and Sembahyang from Javanese and Sanskrit blending. One of the interesting case in Indonesia is Indonesian language had chosen to use Puasa ‘ fast ’ from Sanskrit Upvaas (उपवास) than using Shaum from Arabic. The examples for the last category are the words Moksa (मोक्ष) from Sanskrit and Ikhlas from Arabic. Other words which are derived from Sanskrit is Dosa (दोष) ‘Sin’ and Kurnia (करुणा) ‘Bless’. Moslem in Indonesia are mixed with Hindu Culture. For example, in some area in Java, the people sometimes still pray to the Goddess of the "Sea" and ask for favour to that Goddess instead of Allah.

As I said before some Arabic words may be succeeded in replacing Sanskrit words, such as Sholat and Sujud nevertheless, that did not truly replacing the whole content of the word. The effect of some Arabic words exclusively became PART to Islam Terminology only in Indonesia , not Religious Terminology in General Contexts."

UNQUOTE

Being mixture of Sanskrit / Hindi / Urdu and Arabic words , which are commonly spoken in Modern Hindi day to day life in India , Indonesian Language is quite easy to adapt.

As the Script of Bahasa Indonesia is Roman , letters are written and spoken in a different way unlike Sanskrit which is written in Devnagari देवनागरी Script. Below is an Indonesian Alphabet Table for better understanding.

 Alphabet 
Pronunciation   in 

English
 Close Pronunciation in Hindi हिन्दी
 A
AA
 B
Bay
बे
 C
Chey
चे
 D
Dey
डे
 E
Eay
 F
EF
एफ
 G
Gey
गे
HHaहा
I EE
J
Jey जे
K Ka का
L
El एल
M
Em एम
N
En एन
O
O
P
Pey पे
Q
Ki , KEE की
R
Er अर्
S Es
T
Tay ते, त
U
OO
V
Fe , FAY फे , फ
W
We , Wey वे
X
EKS एक्स
Y
Ye , YAY
ये
Z
Zet जेत


Continued Part - II --- List of some Sanskrit / Hindi Words in Indonesian Language.

http://indonesiaasisee.blogspot.com/2015/01/sanskrit-words-in-indonesian-language.html 


Sunday, November 23, 2014

Indonesian Police Officer ...became Celebrity ... singing Bollywood Hindi Song "Chaiyya Chaiyya (छैय्या छैय्या)"

 Brigadier Norman Kamaru 

Indonesians love Hindi Bollywood songs and a big FAN of Sharukh Khan’s songs and movies. Brigadier Norman Kamaru's passion for Hindi Bollywood songs is a live example which made him a STAR .



Brigadier Norman Kamaru, a Police Officer from Mobile Brigade, Indonesia became a Celebrity overnight when a video of him singing a famous Bollywood song Chaiyya Chaiyya (छैय्या छैय्या) from Movie "Dil se " got viral on YouTube . 

Brigadier Norman Kamaru lip singing Hindi Bollywood Chaiyya Chaiyya  (छैय्या छैय्या)

He is shown in Police Uniform while singing in YouTube Video. His journey of singing Hindi song started with lip singing and finally took years to sing complete song independently. This solo performance changed his fate and now he is enjoying Stardom .

 

Later he was fired due to his in-disciplinary action from the Mobile Brigade (Indonesia) , Indonesian Police as he performed his singing on stage in Police Uniform. He was holding rank of “ First Police Brigadier ” which is known as 'Briptu' ( an abbreviation from Brigadir Polisi Satu ) in Bahasa Indonesia prior to resigning from Police. 

Norman Kamaru was born in Gorontalo, Sulawesi on 27th November 1985. He is the youngest child among nine children. Brigadier Norman enjoys his life in entertainment world more than the police world . He is well known among his fans as Briptu Norman too . Recently he has signed a billion rupiah (USD 113,000) recording contract. 




Monday, September 1, 2014

.... Guardian Ganesh ( गणेश ) at Kuta Bali , Indonesia........

Green Ganesh at Sidoi Hotel , Kuta , Bali , Indonesia 
Beautiful Ganesh I clicked at  Sidoi Hotel ,Jalan Benesari , Kuta , Bali , Indonesia . Gold color embellishments and green color which Nature has offered adds a spectacular view of Ganesh . 

The platform where Ganesh is sitting is covered with a Yellow piece of cloth as practiced in Balinese Hindu ritual worshiping. 

Two side pots contain water and Lotus flowers . Water Element and Lotus Flowers are Symbolic of Purity and considered  Sacred . One front big pot has Kalamakra face with Green Grass. 

Offerings ( Balinese way) made to Ganesh can be seen placed on the front Pot grass. 

The Indonesian version of Ganesh is unlike Indian version where SKULLS are used as embellishments and Ganesh idol is depicted here with gold color skull ornament on the forehead.

This old Ganesh Statue has Inscription on FRONT and BACK in Balinese giving the History of the same.

Kalamakra Face carved big stone Pot with Green Grass as Offering

Front of the Ganesh Statue with Inscription in the Balinese Language



Two Pots on the side of Ganesh Statue with Water and Lotus Flower Symbolic of Purity and Prosperity 

Canang Sari , daily Balinese Offering to God

Back of the Ganesh Statue with Inscription in the Balinese Language

Ornate back of Ganesh Statue on inscribed pillar

Beautiful antique Wooden Mural art on the entrance of SI DOI Hotel







Saturday, August 30, 2014

Ganesh as Guardian at Hotel Entrance

Ganesh at Hotel Pandanaran 
Jalan Pandanaran , Semarang , Central Java , Indonesia



These beautiful black stone Ganesh गणेश I clicked at "Hotel Pandanaran", Jalan (street) Pandanaran , Semarang , Central Java , Indonesia , owned by a Lady follower of Islam. She told me that they are like Guardian sitting on both sides of the Hotel Entrance. 

Simpang Lima ( literally translates as Five Intersections) is one of the main attraction of Semarang and Jalan Pandanaran is one of its Five Intersections . Pandanaran street is a landmark for Traditional Semarang Souvenirs and Street Food . In Indonesia it is called Oleh Oleh (Souvenirs).







Monday, August 25, 2014

Sadewa (सहदेव) ...... "Warung Makan" (Street side eating joint)

Warung Makan ( street side eating joint) SADEWA at 
Jalan (street) Prof. Sudarto No. 10 , Tembalang , Central Java Indonesia  

"SADEWA” (Sehdev सहदेव ) is among very popular names in Indonesia. Names after Epic Mahabharat महाभारत  and Ramayan रामायण Characters are considered best among Indonesians and interwoven in their daily walks of LIFE. 

This is the banner of a street side eating joint called in local language " Warung Makan " (in India it is known as " ढाबा " Dhaba). This Warung Makan "Sadewa" (Sehdev सहदेव ) is at “Jalan (street) Prof. Sudarto No. 10 , Tembalang , Semarang , Central Java , Indonesia .

Wednesday, August 20, 2014

Huge Statue of Ganesh ........... at busy Roundabout

Ganeshगणेश at  Jalan (Street) Tentara Pelajar , Semarang , Central Java , Indonesia
 It's amazing to see Ganeshगणेश at busy Roundabout , Jalan (Street) Tentara Pelajar , Semarang , Central Java , Indonesia. I had to be little patient to click this beautifully carved black stone Ganeshगणेश . These pictures I clicked early in the Morning , still witnessing heavy traffic.

Ganeshगणेश at busy Roundabout
As I mentioned in my earlier post , Indonesian version of Ganeshगणेश is unlike Indian version where SKULLS are used as Embellishments . Ganeshगणेश idol is depicted here with skulls ornaments which is a JAVANESE (जवनीस) conception of Ganeshगणेश. This is due to Ganesh's association with Shiv who wears a garland of skulls in his Bhairava (भैरव) Avatar अवतार.

Ganeshगणेश at busy Roundabout


Tuesday, August 19, 2014

Srikandi ( Shikhandi शिखंडी ) ..... an Epic Character ..all time favorite in Indonesia

Hotel Srikandi at Jalan Wahidin No.195 , Semarang , Central Java , Indonesia 

Epic "Mahabarat" महाभारत Characters are very popular in Indonesia and Indonesians feel pride naming after Epic Characters. 
This Hotel too has been named after famous character SHIKHANDI (शिखंडी). At first glance I could not guess its Name. The Picture of this Hotel Srikandi (शिखंडी Shikhandi) I clicked at Jalan (Street) Dr. Wahidin No. 195, Semarang , Central Java , Indonesia.