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

Colonial Discourse and the Suffering of Indian American Children is now published after academic peer-review and available through open access.

In this book, we analyze the psycho-social consequences that Indian American children face after they are exposed to the school textbook discourse on Hinduism and ancient India. We show that there is an intimate connection―an almost exact correspondence―between James Mill’s ( a prominent politician in Britain and head of the British East India Company) colonial-racist discourse and the current school-textbook discourse. Consequently, this archaic and racist discourse, camouflaged under the cover of political correctness, produces in the Indian American children the same psychological impact as racism is known to produce: shame, inferiority, embarrassment, identity confusion, assimilation, and a phenomenon similar to racelessness where the children dissociate from the tradition and culture of their ancestors

This book is an outcome of 4 years of rigorous research as a part of our ongoing commitment at Hindupedia to challenge the representation of Hindu Dharma within Academia.

Dolāyātrā

From Hindupedia, the Hindu Encyclopedia

By Swami Harshananda

'Holi' is counted in the most popular festivals and sacred days of the religion. It marks the beginning of spring season. Spring is believed to be full of colors, hence people celebrate it by throwing colors and colored water on each other.

Origin[edit]

It is believed that this festival was initiated by the king Indradyumna in Vṛndāvana. It is spread over 3 or 5 days, starting from the śukla caturdaśi of the month of Phālguna.[1]

Features[edit]

It is celebrated in honor of Agni and worship of Govinda (Kṛṣṇa) image kept on a swing (dolā = swing) are the important features. The fire kindled on the first day is to be preserved till the last day. The swing is to be rocked 21 times at the end of the festival.

Celebration in Bengal[edit]

Popularly it is celebrated as a day of revelry in all the parts of the country, but Bengal observes it in a quiet dignified manner as Dolāyātrā or Dolpurṇimā.[2]

Śrī Kṛṣṇa Caitanya's Birthday[edit]

The day is also observed as the birthday of Śrī Kṛṣṇa Caitanya (A. D. 1486-1533) mostly in Bengal, Purī (Orissa), Mathurā and Vṛndāvana (Uttar Pradesh).


References[edit]

  1. ↑ Phālguna usually falls in March.
  2. ↑ Dolāyātrā or Dolpurṇimā is celebrated as the festival of the swing.
  • The Concise Encyclopedia of Hinduism, Swami Harshananda, Ram Krishna Math, Bangalore

Contributors to this article

Krishna Maheshwari, Deval Sancheti

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