Many well-organized kingdoms with a high degree of civilization
were ruled by indigenous kings who had adopted the Hindu or
Buddhist religion. This explains why this period in history is
called the Period of Hindu Kingdoms. It lasted from ancient
times to the 16th Century AD. Because the culture and
civilization, which emanated from the Hindu and Buddhist
religions, were syncretized with the local cultural elements,
the period was also referred to as the Hindu-Indonesian period.
Indian culture and customs were introduced, such as the system
of government in a monarchy, the ancestry system, the
organization of military troops, literature, music and dances,
architecture, religious practices and rituals, and even the
division of laborers into castes or varnas. The Hindu literary
works known as Vedas and the “Mahabharata” and “Ramayana” epics
were also introduced through the wayang, or shadow-play
performance, which is still very popular in many parts of
present day Indonesia. The first Indian Buddhists arrived i