Editing Gujarat (section)

=== Diffusion of culture ===

Due to close proximity to the Arabian Sea, Gujarat has developed a mercantile ethos which maintained a cultural tradition of [[seafaring]], long-distance trade, and overseas contacts with the outside world since ancient times, and the diffusion of culture through Gujarati [[diaspora]] was a logical outcome of such a tradition. During the pre-modern period, various European sources have observed that these merchants formed diaspora communities outside of Gujarat, and in many parts of the world, such as the [[Persian Gulf]], Middle East, [[Horn of Africa]], Hong Kong, [[Indonesia]], and [[Philippines]].<ref>{{Cite book |last1=Rai |first1=Rajesh |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=zb_X3L96AfgC&pg=PA41 |title=The South Asian Diaspora: Transnational networks and changing identities |last2=Reeves |first2=Peter |publisher=Routledge |year=2008 |isbn=978-0-203-89235-0 |editor-last=Rajesh Rai, Peter Reeves |page=41 |quote=The Gujarati merchant diaspora can still be found in the littoral cities of West Asia and Africa on the one hand and in Southeast Asia on the other. |access-date=8 August 2020 |archive-date=14 April 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210414153225/https://books.google.com/books?id=zb_X3L96AfgC&pg=PA41 |url-status=live }}</ref> long before the internal rise of the [[Maratha]] dynasty, and the [[British Raj]] colonial occupation.<ref>{{Cite web |date=11 December 2012 |title=Even British were envious of Gujaratis |url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/vadodara/Even-British-were-envious-of-Gujaratis/articleshow/17575976.cms |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130928112046/http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2012-12-11/vadodara/35748553_1_gujaratis-maritime-history-subcontinent |archive-date=28 September 2013 |access-date=25 September 2013 |website=[[The Times of India]] |quote="Most people perceive that British dominated everything in the 19th century when the Indian sub-continent was under their control. But Gujarati merchants, especially those from Kutch, dominated the economy all along the East African coast. So while British were ruling, Gujaratis were making all the money," said Pearson." As financers, they (Gujarati merchants) had agents to collect tax, they had money to provide loans, they dominated the merchandise business and they were also into slavery business at [[Nairobi]], [[Mombasa]], [[Zanzibar]] on the East African coast and to some extent their influence was also on the South African region," he said. "In fact, the dominance of Gujarati merchants on economy was to such an extent that at one point of time the British even complained about it. They, however, couldn't make any difference as most of them were either administrators or soldiers," said Pearson}}</ref>

Early 1st-century Western historians such as [[Strabo]] and [[Dio Cassius]] are testament to Gujarati people's role in the spread of Buddhism in the Mediterranean, when it was recorded that the ''[[Shramana|sramana]]'' monk [[Zarmanochegas]] (Ζαρμανοχηγὰς) of [[Barygaza]] met [[Nicholas of Damascus]] in [[Antioch]] while Augustus ruled the Roman Empire, and shortly thereafter proceeded to [[Athens]] where died by [[self-immolation|setting himself on fire]] to demonstrate his faith.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Strabo, Geography, NOTICE. |url=https://www.perseus.tufts.edu/cgi-bin/ptext?doc=Perseus%3Atext%3A1999.01.0239&layout=&loc=15.1.73 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081004061428/http://www.perseus.tufts.edu/cgi-bin/ptext?doc=Perseus%3Atext%3A1999.01.0239&layout=&loc=15.1.73 |archive-date=4 October 2008 |access-date=20 December 2014 |publisher=Perseus.tufts.edu}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Cassius Dio – Book 54 |url=https://penelope.uchicago.edu/Thayer/E/Roman/Texts/Cassius_Dio/54*.html |access-date=20 December 2014 |publisher=Penelope.uchicago.edu |archive-date=25 September 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220925090709/https://penelope.uchicago.edu/Thayer/E/Roman/Texts/Cassius_Dio/54%2A.html |url-status=live }}</ref> A tomb to the ''sramana'', was still visible in the time of [[Plutarch]],<ref>Plutarch. 'Life of Alexander' in The Lives of the Noble Grecians and Romans. (trans John Dryden and revised Arthur Hugh Clough) The Modern Library (Random House Inc). New York. p.850</ref> which bore the mention "ΖΑΡΜΑΝΟΧΗΓΑΣ ΙΝΔΟΣ ΑΠΟ ΒΑΡΓΟΣΗΣ" ("The ''sramana'' master from Barygaza in India").<ref>Elledge CD. Life After Death in Early Judaism. Mohr Siebeck Tilbringen 2006 {{ISBN|3-16-148875-X}} pp. 122–125</ref>

The progenitor of the [[Sinhala language]] is believed to have been [[Prince Vijaya]], son of King Simhabahu, who ruled Simhapura (modern-day Sihor near Bhavnagar).<ref>P. 25 ''Historical and cultural chronology of Gujarat, Volume 1'' by Manjulal Ranchholdlal Majmudar</ref> Prince Vijaya was banished by his father for his lawlessness and set forth with a band of adventurers. This tradition was followed by other Gujaratis. For example, in the [[Ajanta Caves|Ajanta]] frescoes, a Gujarati prince is shown entering [[Sri Lanka]].<ref name="ReferenceB">P. 4 ''Shyamji Krishna Varma, the unknown patriot'' by Ganeshi Lal Verma, India. Ministry of Information and Broadcasting. Publications Division</ref>

Many Indians migrated to [[Indonesia]] and the [[Philippines]], most of them Gujaratis. King Aji Saka, who is said to have come to Java in Indonesia in year 1 of the Saka calendar, is believed by some to have been a king of Gujarat.<ref name="ReferenceA">P. 67 ''An era of peace'' By Krishna Chandra Sagar</ref> The first Indian settlements in the [[Philippines]] and Java Island of Indonesia are believed to have been established with the coming of Prince Dhruvavijaya of Gujarat, with 5000 traders.<ref name="ReferenceA" /> Some stories propose a Brahmin named Tritresta was the first to bring Gujarati migrants with him to Java, so some scholars equate him with Aji Saka.<ref>P. 158 ''Foreign Influence on Ancient India'' By Krishna Chandra Sagar</ref> A Gujarati ship has been depicted in a sculpture at Borabudur, [[Java]].<ref name="ReferenceB" />