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.

Kāmārpukur

From Hindupedia, the Hindu Encyclopedia

By Swami Harshananda


A place of pilgrimage is called tīrthakṣetra in the religion. The word tīrtha refers to any place considered sacred due to its association with a holy river, a mountain, a temple or any other object. More often, it may be due to its close connection with a great spiritual or religious leader. The two remote villages of Bengal—Kāmārpukur and Jayarāma bāṭī are the birth places of Śrī Rāmakṛṣṇa and Śāradādevī respectively and have become famous tīrthakṣetra-s due to this connection.

The town of Kāmārpukur is 112 km. or 70 miles to the north-west of Kolkata.

Rāmakṛṣṇa Temple[edit]

The ancestral house where Śrī Rāmakṛṣṇa, famous as the Paramahansa, was born is taken over by the Ramakrishna Math and Rama Krishna Mission. A beautiful temple is raised over his birthplace. The main shrine which is the birth place, contains an elegant marble idol of Śrī Rāmakṛṣṇa.

The small temple of Raghuvīr (Rāma), the family deity of Srī Rāmakṛṣṇa’s ancestors is kept well maintained. The room where Śrī Rāmakṛṣṇa used to live and associated structures have been kept in a good condition.

The center runs schools, hostels and a dispensary apart from conducting several rural welfare activities. They provide good facilities for the pilgrim-devotees who throng the place throughout the year.

Other Attractions[edit]

Other places connected with Śrī Rāmakṛṣṇa's boyhood days are the places of attractions normally visited. They are:

  • A small Śiva temple where his mother had a unique mystical experience
  • Village tank Haldārpukur
  • Village school shed
  • Houses of the Lahā family

Festivals[edit]

The following are the major religious festivals celebrated at this center:

  • Birthday of Śrī Rāmakṛṣṇa
  • Birthday of Śāradādevī
  • Birthday of Vivekānanda
  • Durgāpujā
  • Mahāśivarātrī
  • Kālīpujā


References[edit]

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