Ancient Indian Colonization in South-East Asia c7.21

c7.21

flourshing Hindu settlements in those far-off regions in the south-east beyond the sea. Not only was there lack of any positive evidence, but such evidences as we did possess were rather calculated to negative any such idea. The prohibition of sea-voyage and the general aversion to association with non-Hindus or *mlechchhas* who were regarded as unclean or impure, are so strongly emphasised in our Smṛtis that one would naturally rule out the possibility of the Hindus ever crossing the sea and settling among the primitive tribes of South-east Asia.