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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.

Mahābalipuram

From Hindupedia, the Hindu Encyclopedia

By Swami Harshananda

Mahābalipuram is also known as Māmallāpuram. It is a famous place of archaeological monuments situated at a distance of 50 km (31 miles) to the south of Chennai. It was an important port-city during the early Christian era and maintained trade relations with many countries like the ancient Rome, Persia and China. Old coins of these countries have been found at this place. It also became an important religious center during the period of Narasimha Varma, a Pallava king (circa CE 630-668). Since he was known as Māmalla, the city too got the name after him.

The important monuments at Mahābalipuram are:

  • Shore temple
  • Five rathas or monolithic temples
  • Relief figure of Arjuna, Pāṇḍava hero, doing penance by the side of a river, carved on a big rock
  • Few cave temples containing the idols of Viṣṇu, Varāha and Durgā as Mahiṣamardinī

Shore Temple[edit]

It is in the Draviḍian style. It is of solid stone masonry. Originally, it had a massive wall surrounding it. Now, only some of its remains are seen. It is remarkable that this temple with two vimānas (small towers) has successfully withstood the fury of the waves of the ocean and the vagaries of treacherous weather for over twelve centuries.

There are actually three shrines here, two Śaiva and one Vaiṣṇava. Vaiṣṇava temple depicts Viṣṇu lying on the serpent Ananta.

Ratha Temple[edit]

Apart from the shore-temple, the rathas[1] are of great importance. Five of them stand in the names of the four Pāṇḍavas, viz., Dharmarāja, Bhīma, Arjuna and Sahadeva. The fifth temple is of their spouse, Draupadī. They are monoliths of great beauty. Out of these Dharmarāja-ratha is the grandest.

There is also a Gaṇeśa-ratha situated at a distance of 1.2 km (3/4 of a mile) to the north of the other rathas.

Sthalaśayana Perumāl Temple[edit]

There is a temple of Sthalaśayana Perumāl. In this the deity Viṣṇu is in the reclining posture. Here the worship is continued till today. It is an old temple expanded during the times of Vijayanagar empire. Bhuta Ālvār, one of the three earliest Ālvārs, was born in this place.

References[edit]

  1. ↑ Rathas are chariot-like temples.
  • The Concise Encyclopedia of Hinduism, Swami Harshananda, Ram Krishna Math, Bangalore

Contributors to this article

Apurva Mahendra Bhangdia, Deval Sancheti

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