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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.
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By Swami Harshananda
Ekāṣtaka literally means ‘The eighth day par excellence’.
Performance of certain rites for the benefit of departed ancestors has been an ancient custom. The Ekāṣṭkā rite is one such rite. It is performed on the 8th day of the dark fortnight, especially in the month of Māgha (January-February).
