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.

Punarvasu

From Hindupedia, the Hindu Encyclopedia

By Swami Harshananda

Punarvasu literally means ‘fresh wealth’ or ‘new growth’.

This is the seventh out of the twenty-seven nakṣatras[1] accepted by religious almanacs and astrologers. The stars of this nakṣatra are alpha and beta Geminorum. Caula or tonsure for a male child is to be done in the third year after birth, on a day associated with this nakṣatra. It is considered auspicious for other rites also like upanayāna and marriage.


References[edit]

  1. Nakṣatras means the constellation of stars.
  • The Concise Encyclopedia of Hinduism, Swami Harshananda, Ram Krishna Math, Bangalore

Contributors to this article

Explore Other Articles