Medan Roundup: Indian Roots, Sacred Shrines, and Holi Colours in North Sumatra

Medan and North Sumatra have long sheltered a layered Indian presence — traders, labourers, missionaries, and their descendants who have woven themselves into the archipelago's social fabric. This week's roundup traces that legacy through archival reportage, contemporary faith-building, and the vivid spectacle of Holi, reminding readers how alive these connections remain across generations.

Indonesia's Indian Community: A Hidden but Enduring Diaspora

A feature by The Diplomat explores the often-overlooked Indian community in Indonesia, estimated at roughly 100,000 people concentrated in cities such as Medan, Jakarta, and Surabaya. Many trace their roots to Tamil and Sindhi merchants who arrived during the colonial era, establishing trade networks that persisted long after independence. The article highlights how this community has largely assimilated into Indonesian society while quietly maintaining cultural rituals, temples, and business ties to the subcontinent. In Medan — Indonesia's third-largest city and the commercial heart of North Sumatra — the Indian presence is especially visible in the textile and spice markets near Jalan Zainul Arifin. Despite their economic significance, Indian Indonesians remain statistically invisible in census data, a gap that advocates say must be addressed to ensure their cultural heritage receives proper recognition and protection in an increasingly nationalistic political climate. [1]

Indian Jesuit Builds Marian Shrine in Sumatra to Spread Gospel

Radio Veritas Asia reports on the remarkable story of an Indian Jesuit priest who constructed a Marian shrine in Sumatra as part of his evangelical mission to deepen devotion to the Virgin Mary in one of the world's most populous Muslim-majority nations. The priest, working under the Catholic Diocese active across North Sumatra, said the shrine was conceived as a welcoming spiritual space for local Christians — including the region's Batak and Karo communities — as well as pilgrims from neighbouring areas. The initiative reflects a broader Jesuit tradition of inculturation, adapting Catholic practice to local contexts while maintaining core doctrinal tenets. The shrine, adorned with local motifs and situated near a natural spring, has already drawn hundreds of devotees since its consecration. Church leaders say the project exemplifies the enduring missionary contribution of Indian clergy to Southeast Asian Catholicism, a contribution that dates back more than a century to the first Jesuit arrivals from Goa and Kerala. [2]

Holi Festival Paints Indonesia with Colour and Joy

Xinhua covered the exuberant Holi celebrations held across Indonesia in March 2025, with the festival of colours drawing enthusiastic crowds in Jakarta, Bali, and Medan. Organised by local Hindu and Indian expatriate associations, the events featured traditional gulal powder throwing, Bollywood music, and community feasts that attracted not only the Indian diaspora but Indonesian friends, colleagues, and curious onlookers. In Medan, the Tamil Hindu community hosted a morning prayer at the Sri Mariamman Temple followed by an open-air colour festival that drew several hundred participants of mixed backgrounds. Event organisers said Holi has grown into an informal cultural bridge, giving young Indonesians their first direct engagement with South Asian traditions. The celebrations came amid rising Indonesian interest in Indian popular culture, driven partly by Bollywood streaming popularity, and organisers expressed hope that Holi could eventually gain recognition as a cultural event in Indonesia's diverse festive calendar. [3]

Sources: [1] The Diplomat – Asia-Pacific · [2] Radio Veritas Asia · [3] Xinhua