KAUAI, HAWAII, July 24, 2020: “India Awakes to Life and Freedom,” just published at “source” above, is the thirteenth song in Hinduism Today’s History of Hindu India Music Video series. It is a song for children intended to complement the fifth chapter of our popular History of Hindu India documentaries, “21st Century India.” The documentaries and songs neatly supplement the study of India and the Hindu religion in American middle schools. This video covers the success of independence, the disaster of partition and yet the formation of a modern nation finally free from oppression.
The History of Hindu India (Part Five) was developed by the editors of Hinduism Today magazine in collaboration with Dr. Shiva Bajpai, Professor Emeritus of History, California State University Northridge. It is intended to provide an authentic presentation of the history of India and Hinduism for use in American middle and high school classes, as well as Hindu temple study groups and general presentations on the Hindu religion and history.
This documentary is based on the fifth chapter of the textbook, “The History of Hindu India,” published in 2011. It covers Indian history from 1947 to the present day. Opening with Nehru’s famed speech on August 15, 1947, it describes the formation of the new government, development of the constitution, invasion of Kashmir by Pakistan, the horrors of partition, formation of states along linguistic lines, and efforts to uplift the lower classes. It covers the religions of India along with religious strife and its causes, Hindu pilgrimage using Rameswaram as an example, Ayurveda, the impact of Hinduism in the modern world and finally a nod to the popularity of Bollywood and Indian cuisine.
For more information and for class lesson plans based on the book, visit www.hinduismtoday.com/education/. This documentary is directed and produced by Sushma Khadepaun; produced and narrated by Roger (Raj) Narayan. Funded by the Uberoi Foundation, Institute for Curriculum Advancement, this film may be freely distributed for educational purposes.