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.

Aupāsanāgni

From Hindupedia, the Hindu Encyclopedia

By Swami Harshananda

Aupāsanāgni literally means ‘fire for sitting near’.

In ancient and medieval times, brāhmaa householders and other dvijas (‘twice-born’ ones), were expected to maintain the śrauta or the Vedic fires in which they had to offer Agnihotra everyday. Those who had thus established duly consecrated sacred fires were called ‘āhitāgnis.’ However, even those who had not done so, had to offer Agnihotra twice everyday. This was done in the fire kindled at the time of marriage and maintained thereafter. This fire was known by several names : Aupasada, Aupāsana, āvasathya, vaivāhika, smārta, gṛhya or śālā-agni.


References[edit]

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

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