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.

Viduraśvattha

From Hindupedia, the Hindu Encyclopedia

By Swami Harshananda

Viduraśvattha literally means ‘holy fig tree of Vidura’.

There is a huge pipal or holy fig tree[1] at the village Doḍḍakurugoḍu, about 6 kms.[2] to the north of the town Gaurībidanur in Kolar district.[3] As per the local legends it is the off-shoot of the original tree planted by Vidura, the minister of the Kauravas. The tree is on the right bank of the Pinākinī river and is surrounded by several small shrines dedicated to Śiva, Nārāyaṇa, Navagrahas and nāgas.[4] The tree is worshipped as holy by the visiting pilgrims. A big festival is held every year during Caitra Purṇimā[5] including the rathotsava.[6]


References[edit]

  1. Fig tree is called as aśvattha.
  2. It is approximately 4 miles.
  3. It is in Karnataka State.
  4. Nāgas means stone icons of serpents.
  5. It falls on full-moon day in the lunar month of Caitra, usually in April.
  6. Rathotsava means temple car festival.
  • The Concise Encyclopedia of Hinduism, Swami Harshananda, Ram Krishna Math, Bangalore