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.

Gomukha-prasava-śānti

From Hindupedia, the Hindu Encyclopedia

By Swami Harshananda

As per jyotisha, the Āśleṣa nakṣatra[1] is considered rākṣasa or demoniac in nature. Hence birth under it is considered inauspicious for the baby.

To ward off the evil effects, the Gomukha prasava-śānti is performed by the parents. The whole rite is aimed at making the baby to be ‘reborn’ (prasava) from the mouth of a cow (gomukha) at an auspicious moment. New-born baby is kept in a winnowing basket covered with a piece of cloth. This basket is brought near the mouth of a cow as if it is new born from the cow’s mouth. Then it is bathed with the milk of the cow and handed over to the father and then to the mother. During this ritual continuous chanting of appropriate Vedic mantras is done.


References[edit]

  1. Āśleṣa nakṣatra comprises of the stars eta, sigma, delta, epsilon, rho and zeta hydrae.
  • The Concise Encyclopedia of Hinduism, Swami Harshananda, Ram Krishna Math, Bangalore