### id255397619 religious restrictions did not prevent many Hindis from sea crossings > So Indian merchants undoubtedly crossed the seas. But what about Brahmins, to whom the original kala pani restriction supposedly applied? There is also ample evidence of their travels. > > For example, there were numerous SEA Hindu-Buddhist kingdoms from the 5th to the 15th centuries. These kingdoms were ruled by locals, but had adopted many aspects of Indian political structure and religion. It was once thought that these practices were brought by Indian traders, however it is now believed that it was Brahmins, with their familiarity of religion and statecraft, who brought this knowledge to SEA. > > The Indian merchants also built temples to service their communities. The remains of one such example can be found in Quanzhou, China, along with a Tamil inscription dating to 1281: > > ***Obeisance to Hara*** [Shiva]***! Let there be prosperity! On the day Citra in the month of Chittira in the Saka year 1203*** [1281 A.D.]***, the Tavachchakkarvarttigal Sambandhap-perumal*** [a Shaiva religious leader] ***caused, in accordance with the firman*** [written permission] ***of Chekachai Khan*** [the Mongol authority]***, to be graciously installed the God Udaiyar Tirukkadalisvaram Udaiya-nayinar*** [Shiva]***, for the welfare of the illustrious body of the illustrious Chekachai Khan.*** > > But Hindu temples do not function by themselves, and must have been staffed by Brahmin priests from India, especially when they were first built. > Thus, the reason the Cholas launched an invasion of Srivijaya despite the kala pani was probably that the kala pani was not much of a restriction for the vast majority of the Empire. There probably were some Brahmins who really did refuse to cross the ocean, but nowhere near enough to hamper an invasion. > > So why is it now assumed that the kala pani was so much more serious than it actually was? - [View Highlight](https://reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/qzndgg/why_did_the_chola_empire_mount_a_naval_invasion/hm6b25m?__readwiseLocation=0%2F10%2F0%2F4%2F3%2F1%2F0%2F0%2F0%2F0%2F0%2F0%2F0%2F4%2F1%2F0%2F2%2F1%2F0%2F0%2F0%2F3%2F1%2F0%2F3%3A0%2C0%2F16%2F0%2F4%2F3%2F1%2F0%2F0%2F0%2F0%2F0%2F0%2F0%2F4%2F1%2F0%2F2%2F1%2F0%2F0%2F0%2F3%2F1%2F0%2F3%3A90#:~:text=So%20Indian%20merchants%20undoubtedly%20crossed%2Cserious%20than%20it%20actually%20was%3F) - [[Hindis thought crossing the ocean led to impurities#id255397619 religious restrictions did not prevent many Hindis from sea crossings|View in Vault]]