Ancient Indian Colonization in South-East Asia c7.86

c7.86

Some of the arguments advanced in support of South Indian origin of the Indian colonists appear to be weak. Thus Coedés mentions, with approval, the prominent role of the Kauṇḍinya clan in South India originally suggested by B. R. Chatterji. The passages referred to by the latter mention only Kauṇḍinya-*gotra*.¹⁵ It is well-known that these *gotra*-names are really traced to mythical personages and have nothing to do with historical figures. It is as logical to locate Kauṇḍinya in South India on this ground as to look for sage Bhāradvāja in South India because the Pallavas belonged to the Bhāradvāja-*gotra*.