The Ancient Vedic culture of India was once spread throughout the islands of Indonesia and one such island was "Java" a famous island whose name is from the Sanskrit "Yava" meaning "barley" and a name which seems to be mentioned in the great epic "Ramayana".

The Ancient Vedic culture of India was once spread throughout the islands of Indonesia and one such island was "Java" a famous island whose name is from the Sanskrit "Yava" meaning "barley" and a name which seems to be mentioned in the great epic "Ramayana".

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“You strive hard in the island of "Yavadvipa" which is splendorous with seven kingdoms, like that even in Golden and Silver islands that are enwreathed with gold-mines in and around Yava islands. On crossing over Yava Island, there is a mountain named "Shishira" which touches heaven with its peak and which gods and demons adore. You shall collectively rake through all the impassable mountains, waterfalls, and forests in these islands for the glorious wife of Rama.”

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"Jakarta" is the capital city of Java and the largest city of Indonesia with a population of over 10 million people and its name is formed from the Sanskrit "Jaya" meaning "victory" and the Sanskrit "Krta" meaning "deed" as in "victorious deed".

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"Yogyakarta" is seen as the centre for classical Javanese art and culture and its name is formed from two Sanskrit words "Yogya" meaning suitable, fit, proper and "Krta" meaning successful work, as in "a city fit ( yogya ) to prosper ( karta )" all expressing the Ancient footprints of a once Vedic culture.

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"In the veins of every one of my people flows the blood of Indian ancestors and the culture that we possess is steeped through and through with Indian influences. Two thousand years ago people from your country came to Jawadvipa and Suvarnadvipa in the spirit of brotherly love. They gave the initiative to found powerful kingdoms such as those of Sri Vijaya, Mataram and Majapahit. We then learnt to worship the very Gods that you now worship still and we fashioned a culture that even today is largely identical with your own". Suharto Sukarno (1901- 1970) Indonesian nationalist leader and the first President of Indonesia.

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"East Java" is a province of Java with a population of some 37 million people and its capital is "Surabaya" whose meaning of "bravely facing danger" is said to be composed of the Sanskrit Surya meaning the "Sun" and the Sanskrit Bhaya meaning "fear".

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"West Java" is a province of Java which has a population of 49 million people and its capital is "Bandung" whose meaning is something like "the treasures ( banda ) of the mother ( indung )" and this is formed from the Sanskrit Bhanda meaning "treasure" "obtainment" and "capital".

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"Merak" is a coastal city of Java which has a very interesting name which flows from the Sanskrit "Maruka" meaning "peacock". Maruka also means perishable and dying from the Sanskrit Mara meaning "death" and it also means "deer" the reason being that deer and peacocks, being forest animals, were always under the threat of death and so were perishable ( maruka ) a word which becomes this Javanese Merak meaning "peacock".

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Merak whose source is the Sanskrit "Maruka" meaning "dying" and "perishable" became the scene of a great tragedy when in 1883 the eruption of Krakatoa caused a tsunami whose waves rose to some 135 feet high completely wiping out the 2700 people who formed the coastal city of "Merak" and once again revealing how this whole world is "Maruka".

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"From the highest planet in the material world down to the lowest, all are places of misery wherein repeated birth and death take place. But one who attains to My abode, O son of Kunti, never takes birth again" Bhagavad Gita 8.16.