Indian Influences on Filipino Culture

The Indian influences on the Filipino culture are primarily reflected in Philippine languages particularly in Tagalog. While it is not always safe to reconstruct past events solely from the study of language. Yet, the latter offers a method of inferring the development of man's thought through years of changes. The large number of terms of Sanskrit origin does not necessarily mean that there was direct contact between the ancient Filipinos and the Indians. The paucity of the archaeological or written documents to prove the existence of such relationship places in doubt the theory that there was once upon a time, direct contact between the Filipinos and the Indians. More probable is the theory that Filipinos imbibed some of the elements of the Indian culture through Hinduized Malays who came to the Philippines to settle permanently. 

Dr. Trinidad H. Pardo de Tavera, in his study of Sanskrit loan-words in Tagalog classifies these loanwords into "those which signify intellectual acts, moral conceptions, emotions, superstitions, name of deities, some animals, instruments of industry, and the names of money."  The following words are taken at random, represent the "borrowings" from Sanskrit, the ancient language of India. 

Sanskrit - Tagalog

kshama - aksaya

ahi - ahas

swamin - asawa

bhaga - bahagi

bharra - bahala

vartta - balita

taruna - katalona

bhattara - bathala

katha - katha

koti (10,000,000) - kati

kotta - kuta

dala (net) - dala

dhrta - dalita

jaya - dayang

Sanskrit words are also encountered in Visayan and Magindanao. In the latter, they deal primarily with government, religion and commerce. "Some words are agama (religion), sumbahayang (prayer), surga (heaven), batara (god), guru (teacher), dusa (sin), pandita (scholar or priest), baginda (emperor), raja (king), laksama (officer of state), surat (book), sutra (silk), mutya (pearl), tumbaga (copper), bara (measure), kunsi (lock) and many others. 

Indian influences on Filipino culture was also present in the ancient religious beliefs. Among the Muslims, Indra Batara was the most prominent mythological figure, Indra being the Indian king of heaven. The other god which the Muslim believed in were of Vedic or Indian origin. It is therefore, probable that the ancient paganism of the Filipinos, which amounted to demon and spirit worship, came from India through Old Malaysia. 

Some of the ancient customs which have survived the inroads of Western imperialism find their counterparts in India. It may be inferred that those customs were of Indian origin. Thus: 

In the Mountain Province the waist loom worked by the Igorot women is absolutely identical with looms, cloth, color schemes, and patterns woven by women in the hill tribes of Assam and Northern India. In the south, the filmy textiles of Iloilo closely resemble the silky gauze fabric woven in Benares, India which exceedingly ancient craft. Farther south the check cottons  and the brocades of Mindanao resemble the handicraft of Indonesia, Malaya and Bengal.

 The veil, indeed, played yet another role and which few perhaps recognize as an unaltered relic of an Asian past. In the wedding ceremony of the Philippines, the Cord and Veil ceremonies are the remains of the ancient symbolism practiced in both Hindu and Muslim weddings to this day. with modifications, the symbolism is the same. A Hindu bride and groom will exchange garlands of sampaguita and their shoulder and head scarves  will be tied together during the ceremony. In a Muslim wedding, an ornate silken cloth will be placed over bridal couple and a knotted garland of flowers placed over their heads. What is more significant, however, is that the Cord and Veil ceremonies are apparently not part of the Catholic rites of marriages observed in Rome or Spain, buy one unique to the Philippines. 

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Milan Tomic

Hi. I’m Designer of Blog Magic. I’m CEO/Founder of ThemeXpose. I’m Creative Art Director, Web Designer, UI/UX Designer, Interaction Designer, Industrial Designer, Web Developer, Business Enthusiast, StartUp Enthusiast, Speaker, Writer and Photographer. Inspired to make things looks better.

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