Colonial Discourse and the Suffering of Indian American Children Book Cover.webp

In this book, we analyze the psycho-social consequences faced by Indian American children after exposure to the school textbook discourse on Hinduism and ancient India. We demonstrate that there is an intimate connection—an almost exact correspondence—between James Mill’s colonial-racist discourse (Mill was the head of the British East India Company) and the current school textbook discourse. This racist discourse, camouflaged under the cover of political correctness, produces the same psychological impacts on Indian American children that racism typically causes: shame, inferiority, embarrassment, identity confusion, assimilation, and a phenomenon akin to racelessness, where children dissociate from the traditions and culture of their ancestors.


This book is the result of four years of rigorous research and academic peer-review, reflecting our ongoing commitment at Hindupedia to challenge the representation of Hindu Dharma within academia.

Ambika Sthuthi

From Hindupedia, the Hindu Encyclopedia

Ambikai Thuthi
(Prayer to mother Goddess)

Translated by

P.R.Ramachander

(I saw this prayer in tamil addressed to the mother goddess in
http://joyfulslokas.blogspot.com/2010/07/sri-ambal-thuthi.html. Its simplicity appealed to me a lot.)


1.Kanchi Kamakshi, Madurai Meenakshi, Kasi Visalakshi,
Karunambikaye tharunam ithuve , dayai purivayamma

Oh Kamakshi of Kanchi, Oh Meenakshi of Madurai, Oh Visalakshi of Kasi,
Oh mother of mercy, this is the time, show mercy on me.

2.Un arul endrum nilai per vendum, nee varuvayamma,
Pon , porul yellam vazhangida vendum, Vazhthiduvayamma,
Yen endru kettu pasi theerpay , yen annai nee amma,
Nin mugam kanden , yen mugam malaray malandhathum yen amma

Your grace should always be there , please come Oh, mother,
You have to give me gold and other wealth , please bless me,
You would ask me why and satisfy my hunger because you are my mother,
Why is it that my face blooms like a flower when I see your face?

3.Mangalam vazhangidum mahimayai kanden un thirukarathinile,
Engum varuvay, yen uyir neeye , yengal kula devi.
Sangadam theerpay pakkalai tharuven sanga thamizhinile,
Thangum pugazh thadayindri tharuvay thayakkamum yenamma.

I saw in your divine hands the greatness to shower auspiciousness,
Please come everywhere, for you are my soul , the goddess of my clan,
Please remove my sorrow , for I would give you poems in epic Tamil,
Please give me stable fame without stops, Why the hesitation mother.

4.Payirgalil ulla pasumayile kanden unnai Parameshwari unnaye,
Uyirgalil ulla unnarul unmai, Ulaga Maha Shakthi , saran unnai adainthen.

I saw you in the greenness of crops , Oh the greatest Goddess
Your grace in all living beings is truth ,
Oh greatest power of the world, I surrender to you.

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