HOUSTON, TEXAS, October 2003: Trisha Pasricha, age 14, has written this outstanding article describing her predicament as a Hindu girl dealing with incorrect information on Hinduism in her text books. Trisha says, “When 8th grade starts, India and Hinduism are summed up in a few short sentences by the teacher. India is described as filled with pollution, cows and poverty-stricken people. Hindus love to bathe in rivers where they throw the ashes of their parents and yes, they do worship elephants and monkeys.” She adds, “Six chapters in the textbook were devoted to Christianity whereas one page is given to the history of India and the teachings of Hinduism.” Her high school textbooks only provided more of the same, with one textbook containing just three sentences devoted to Skihism and Jainism. Trisha’s advice to correct the misrepresentation of Hindu culture is to read what your child’s Social Studies textbooks says on India and Hinduism. Writing a simple letter or e-mail to the editor can make a world of difference for your child and for thousands of others. She also suggests contacting the Board of Education for your district since they decide which textbooks will be used. The full text of her article is at “source” above.
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