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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.

Śabarotsava

From Hindupedia, the Hindu Encyclopedia

By Swami Harshananda

Śabarotsava literally means ‘festival of the śabaras aboriginals’.

Śabarotsava is a part of the Durgā-pūjā celebrations. On the Vijayadaśamī or the tenth day of Aśvayuja-śukla-pakṣa, bright half of Āśvayuja month, generally in October, the clay-image of Mother Durgā has to be ceremonially immersed in the waters of a river or a lake. After the immersion, when the crowd of devotees is returning, it is expected to behave like the śabaras or aboriginal tribes. Some of the items of such uncivilized behavior are:

  • Making merry to one’s heart’s content by throwing mud and dust
  • Abusing one another using offensive words
  • Singing erotic songs
  • Etc.

All, irrespective of their status in the society, were expected to join in this revelry, probably emphasizing the equality before the Mother of the universe.


References[edit]

  • The Concise Encyclopedia of Hinduism, Swami Harshananda, Ram Krishna Math, Bangalore

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