Politico-Cultural-Religious Milieu of South East Asia: An Examination of Pre-Islamic Structures of Authority and Syncretic Practices

This paper analyses the structure of authorities and syncretic practices among thepeople in South East Asia before the spread of Islam in the region. The influence of SouthAsian tradition and culture in South East Asia was evident especially in the social andpolitical spheres. Practices of South East Asian empires originated from the South Asiancontinent. In order to understand those influences, this study analyses available materialsrelated to the development of socio-political and cultural-religious environment in SouthEast Asia prior to the advancement of Islam in the region. This study concludes that earlykingdoms in South East Asia adopted the doctrines of devaraja and bodhisattva as themodel of governance. This doctrine provides the rulers with everlasting loyalty from theirsubjects. At the same time, religious life among the people in South East Asia highlights aunique practice. The syncretic practices of the people in South East Asia at that time provethat they did not follow blindly religious practices presented to them from the South Asiantraditions. They adopt and adapt those practices to suit their own needs at that time.