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.

Prastara

From Hindupedia, the Hindu Encyclopedia

By Swami Harshananda

Prastara literally means 'that which is strewn.'

In Vedic sacrifices, since the implements used are considered sacred, they should be kept on the vedi[1] in a clean and pure place. Cleanliness is external and physical, purity is more a ceremonial concept.

Before placing the sruk and sruva[2] on the vedi, a small bundle of darbha grass[3] is spread out first. The ladles are then placed on this bundle which is called prastara.


References[edit]

  1. ↑ Vedi means platform.
  2. ↑ Sruva means offering ladles.
  3. ↑ Darbha grass is Poa cynosuroides.
  • The Concise Encyclopedia of Hinduism, Swami Harshananda, Ram Krishna Math, Bangalore

Contributors to this article

Deval Sancheti

Explore Other Articles

Retrieved from "https://hindupedia.com/index.php?title=Prastara&oldid=116131"