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.

Bāhlika

From Hindupedia, the Hindu Encyclopedia

By Swami Harshananda

Bāhlika is mentioned in the Mahābhārata in several contexts:

  • A country (also mentioned in Rāmāyana)
  • A king that fought for Duryodhana
  • The younger brother of king Śantanu

Bāhlika-The Country[edit]

The country of Bāhlika (also spelt as Vāhlīka) has been mentioned in the epic Mahābhārata[1]. It has been identified with Bactria, situated in north of Afghanistan, and east of Iran. Arjuna, the Pāṇḍava hero, conquered this country during his victory marches before the Rājasṅya sacrifice. The people of this country faced significant criticism for their unethical ways of life[2].

The Rāmāyana alludes towards a country called Bāhlika, situated between Ayodhyā and Kekaya, which extends between the rivers Satadru (Sutlej) and Vipāśā (Beas)[3].

References[edit]

  1. Mahābhārata, Bhismaparva 9
  2. Mahābhārata, Karnaparva 44
  3. Rāmāyana, Ayodhyākānda 68.18
  • The Concise Encyclopedia of Hinduism, Swami Harshananda, Ram Krishna Math, Bangalore