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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.

Vapana

From Hindupedia, the Hindu Encyclopedia

By Swami Harshananda

Vapana literally means ‘shaving’.

In the life of a person, even vapana or muṇdana[1] becomes associated with the religious rites. It is often resorted to as a compulsory act mostly, in the places of pilgrimage like Prayāga. It is also necessary on the death of one’s father or mother. As a part of penances also it has to be done.

For sanyāsins[2] it was compulsory. Some dharmaśāstras have prescribed it for widows also, since their life was to be similar to that of the sanyāsin. Learned brāhmaṇas and kings were generally exempt from it. At the Triveṇīsangama in Prayāga, married ladies could offer a small part of their braid of hair with mantras as a part of a religious vow.


References[edit]

  1. ↑ Muṇdana means shaving or the tonsure of the head.
  2. ↑ Sanyāsins means monks.
  • The Concise Encyclopedia of Hinduism, Swami Harshananda, Ram Krishna Math, Bangalore

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