Michel Ferlus

Independant researcher (CNRS, Retired) France

<jrmferlus@orange.fr>

A possible origin of Rāmaña- “(country of) Mon”

Hinduized people of Southeast Asia liked to borrow geographical terms from India to name countries with an only one aim of prestige : Śrīkṣetra (country of Pyu), Amarāvatī (country of Cham), Kambuja (Cambodia), Gāndhāra (Yunnan), Kauśāmbī (Upper Burma Tay States) from which derived the terms ‘Shan’, ‘Ahom’, ‘Assam’ and ‘Siam’…

One can think that Rāmaña- (country of Mon) concerns of the same type of explanation. But this designation cannot be found in India. To find the solution, it is necessary to seek more toward the West, by the Mediterranean area.