Colonial Discourse and the Suffering of Indian American Children is now freely available.
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.

Dasarā

From Hindupedia, the Hindu Encyclopedia

By Swami Harshananda

Dasarā literally means ‘festival of ten days’.

General Celebration of Dasarā[edit]

Festivals and sacred days are the popular manifestations and legion in any religion. One of the major festivals observed throughout the country is the Dasarā festival. It is celebrated from the Āśvayuja śukla pratipad to the daśamī.[1] This festival is celebrated for nine days (Navarātri, festival of nine nights) or ten days.[2] This festival takes many forms in different parts of the country.

Dasarā Celebration in Bengal, Bihar & Orissa[edit]

In Bengal, Bihar and Orissa it is celebrated as the Durgāpujā. Durgāpujā is the worship of the Divine Mother Durgā, usually in a clay image. The tenth day is known as Vijayadaśamī. It is observed as the day for immersion of the Durgā images after the Durgāpujā.

Dasarā Celebration in North India & Uttar Pradesh[edit]

In Uttar Pradesh and some other northern States it is observed as Rāmalilā, a re-enactment of the Rāma story. Wherever Rāmalilā is enacted, Vijaya-daśamī is celebrated as the day of victory of Rāma over Rāvaṇa, the demon-king.

Dasarā Celebration in Karnataka[edit]

In Karnataka, it is a multi-festival, comprising Sarasvatīpujā on the saptamī, Durgāpujā on the aṣtamī and Āyudhapujā (worship of weapons and implements) on the navamī days. The tenth day is known as Vijayadaśamī. It is observed as the day for immersion of the Durgā images after the Durgāpujā.

Dasarā Celebration in Ancient Times[edit]

It is also the day on which kings used to start expeditions of victory or conquests for expansion. Worship of the śamīvṛkṣa (Prosopis spicigera) and the royal weapons like the sword, and the animals of royal army like the horse and the elephant were part of the Vijayadaśamī festival.

Dasarā Celebration as per Foreign Travelers[edit]

As per the account of various foreign travelers like Abdur Razak (A. D. 1413- 1482), Domingos Paes (A. D. 1520) and Fernao Nuniz (A. D. 1536), the Dasarā was being celebrated with all pomp and glory as a State festival with the king being given the prime place, in Vijayanagara, the capital of the Vijayanagara empire. After the fall of the empire, it was taken up by the kings of Mysore State, and celebrated in a grand manner. The celebrations are continued even now, though as a peoples festival.


References[edit]

  1. ↑ Daśamī is the bright half of the month Āśvayuja or Āśvina, generally falling in September-October.
  2. ↑ dasarā = daśa + ahar = ten days
  • The Concise Encyclopedia of Hinduism, Swami Harshananda, Ram Krishna Math, Bangalore

Contributors to this article

Krishna Maheshwari, Deval Sancheti

Explore Other Articles

Retrieved from "https://hindupedia.com/index.php?title=Dasarā&oldid=134084"