Often serving as an important node through which West Asian and South Asian maritime trade with China were maintained, maritime Southeast Asia remained exposed to various extra-local influences that accompan­ied maritime trade with and through this area. Yet, as the research articles in the book indicate, it was not just an appendage to the two great agrarian and maritime civilizations of Asia: India and China. It imbibed extra-local influences and transformed them to suit local needs. The book looks into the issue of complex interactions between local and extra-local influences in maritime Southeast Asia. It traces the pro-cesses?through?which?extra-local?influences?were?localized. About the Author Birendra Nath Prasad is an Assistant Professor at the Centre for Histor­ical Studies, Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi, where he teaches economic history and maritime history of ancient and early medieval India, social history of religion in ancient and early medieval India, and history of Southeast Asia to c.15 ce. His recent publications include Archaeology of Religion in South Asia: Buddhist, Brahmanical and Jaina Religious Centres in Bihar and Bengal, c. ad 6-12 (New Delhi, London and New York, 221); and Rethinking Bihar and Bengal: History, Culture?and?Religion?(New?Delhi,?London?and?New?York,?221). \n