Indonesia, the country with the largest Muslim population, has been in discussion for punishing according to the growing fundamentalism and Sharia. But even today in this country people keep the names of children after Hindu gods or mythological characters.
Hindu names in Indonesia are spelled somewhat differently, but they have the same origin. What we know as Krishna is called Krisna in Indonesia.
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Hindu and Buddhism were prevalent in Indonesia before the spread of Islam. Hindu names and culture are still visible. That is why even today Rama or Rama is a common name.
Sita is also one of the favorite names kept in Indonesia. Sita, the wife of Ram and the daughter of King Janak, is one of the most important tenants of the Ramayana.
Visnu means Vishnu. People with this name will also find you a lot in Indonesia. Araki is a noted American-Indonesian basketball player named Dicania Visnu.
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The name Lakshmi is as popular in India as it is in Indonesia. In Hinduism, Lakshmi is worshiped as the goddess of wealth and prosperity.
The name of Saraswati, considered to be the goddess of knowledge, is also known in Indonesia. In 2013, the Indonesian government presented a 16-feet-tall statue of Saraswati to the US.
You hardly get to hear the name Satyavan nowadays. But this name derived from the legend of Satyavan-Savitri is still fondly kept in Indonesia.
According to Hindu mythology, Savitri brought back her husband Satyavan’s life from Yamraj. Savitri is also a nickname in Indonesia.
Deva / Devi
In Indonesia you will find many people whose names are Deva or Devi. Naturally Deva Purush then Devi is a female name.
Mahabharata and Ramayana is still a part of the culture prevalent in Indonesia. In the Mahabharata, the name of Yudhishthira, also called Dharmaraja, is why you get a lot in Indonesia.
Arjuna is also a popular name in Indonesia. Apart from being a great archer in the Mahabharata, Arjuna has also been a part of the Gita sermon episode, which is one of the major bases of Hindu philosophy.
Bhima came second in the Pandavas and was very powerful. In Indonesia, the name Bima or Bhima is named after him. Insurance is also the name of a city in Indonesia.
According to mythology, Parvati is the consort of Shiva. This name is also one of those names prevalent in Indonesia, whose origin is associated with Hinduism.
Indra is also a nickname in Indonesia. Indra, called Devaraja, is called the God of Rain. There are many stories about his court’s Apsaras and their anger.
The name Ganesa is the Indonesian version of the name of the Hindu deity Ganesha. Ganesha Campus is very famous in ITB, the famous technical educational institute in Bandung city of Indonesia. There are also many idols of Ganesha there.
Garuna is the official airline company of Indonesia, whose name is inspired by Garun. According to Hindu mythology, the Garun bird is the ride of Lord Vishnu.
Surya / Suria
The name Surya is no longer as popular among the new generation in India, but in Indonesia you will still find many people whose name is Surya.