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.

Rāmadāsa

From Hindupedia, the Hindu Encyclopedia

By Swami Harshananda

Rāmadāsa of Bhadrācala lived in A.D. 1630-1687. It is in the Khammam district of Andhra Pradesh, situated on the bank of the sacred river Godāvarī. It is a famous place of pilgrimage. The town is blessed by a beautiful temple dedicated to Śrī Rāma. Gopanna, an educated and cultured man from a good family, was the collector of the district at that time. The king or the chieftain was a Muslim named Tānīṣā.

When Pokala Dammakka, a poor lady, requested him to build a nice temple for the images of Rāma, Sītā and Lakṣmaṇa which she had recovered from an anthill, Gopanna built it with the State funds in his charge. Enraged by this, Tānīṣa is said to have imprisoned him. However, Śri Rāma saved him miraculously. This brought about a total conversion in him. He dedicated the rest of his life to spiritual pursuits. Since then, he came to be known as Bhadrācala Rāmadāsa. According to some versions Kabīrdas[1] gave him this name.

He was well-versed in several languages. He composed a number of devotional songs in praise of Rāma in the Telugu language, his mother-tongue. Even Tyāgarāja[2] the great musician saint was fond of his songs.

References[edit]

  1. He lived in A.D. 1440-1518.
  2. He lived in A. D. 1767-1848.
  • The Concise Encyclopedia of Hinduism, Swami Harshananda, Ram Krishna Math, Bangalore