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.

Pillayar Mahimai (Tamil)

From Hindupedia, the Hindu Encyclopedia

Pillayar Perumai
(Greatness of Lord Ganesa)

Translated by
P.R.Ramachander

(Pillai in tamil can also mean a son or our lad. Lord Ganesa to all those who speak tamil is Pillayar . Wherever you go in Tamil Nadu , you will see him in every nook and corner, This is an awesome Bhajan extolling him)

1.Pillayar, pillayar , perumai vaintha pillayar ,
Pillayar, pillayar , perumai vaintha pillayar

Ganesa, Ganesa , Ganesa who is endowed with greatness,
Ganesa, Ganesa , Ganesa who is endowed with greatness.

2.AAthangarai orathile, arasa marathu nizhalile
Veethirukkum pillayar , vinaikal theerkkum pillayar.

Ganesa who sits in the shade of Banyan tree
By the side of the banks of the river, The Ganesa who solves problems.
3.Aanai mukham kondavar , iynthu karam udayavar ,
Panai vayiru padaithavar , bhakthar thuyar thudaippavr.

He has elephant like face, he has five hands,
He has a pot like paunch, he solves problems of his devotees.

4.AAru mukha velavanin annan aana pillayar ,
Nerum thunpam yavayume theerthu vaikkum pillayar

The Ganesa who is the elder brother of six faced Subramanya,
The Ganesa who destroys all the sorrows that occur.

5.Manjalile cheyyinum, manninaale cheyyinum,
Iynthezhuthu mandirathai nenjil kattum pillaya.

Whether you make him in turmeric powder or mud,
He is Ganesa who shows the five lettered chant (namasivaya) in his heart.

6.SAnkaranin pudalvanam , chathirathin mudalvanam,
Sakalathirkkum moolanaam , sakthi vaintha pillayar

The very powerful Ganesa is the son of Lord Shiva ,
The first in Sastras and the cause for everything.

7.Vanni marathin nizhalile varangal tharum pillayar,
Vilva marathu nizhalile vinaikal theerkkum pillayar.

The Ganesa who gives boons in the shade of Vahni(prosopsis) tree,
The Ganesa who solves our problems in the shade of Bilwa tree

8. Neli marathu nizhalile nindru irukkum pillayar,
Bhakthi tharum pillayar , mukthi tharum pillayar

The Ganesa who stands in the shade of Gooseberry tree ,
The Ganesa who gives devotion, The Ganesa who grants salvation.

9.Aadarikkum pillayar , Aanaimukha pillayar,
Arulai alli tharum aandavanaam pillayar.

The Ganesa who supports, The Ganesa with an elephant face ,
The God Ganesa who gives loads of grace .

10.Aval pori kadalayum , arisiyum kozhukattayum,
Kavalayindri thinnuvaar , kannai moodi thoonguvaar.

Without any worry , he would eat beaten rice, puffed rice,
Bengal gram and rice Kozhukattai (Modhaka) and sleep closing his eyes.

11.Kali yugathin vindhayai kana vendi anu dinamum,
Yeliyin meethu yeriye ishtam pola chuthuvaar.

Daily for seeing the peculiar happenings of Kali age ,
He would climb on a mouse and roam as he pleases.