“Fair, slim and beautiful bride wanted”. This is the pre-requisite for marriage. Our obsession for fair skin is not new. America finally got over its racial fixation, but when will India get over it? India is not a fair-skinned country. It has its share of color tones. As we move towards the south, the white Aryan tone gradually varies giving way to wheatish Dravidian shade. Our chromatic convictions are pretty strong....no room for debate. It’s an axiom that white is better than the black. Many times I have had friendly arguments with my grand mom on this issue and she did believe fair skin was a bonus.
A few days back, nani’s friend happened to visit us. My nani was super-excited to meet her. It was delightful to watch them chirp like pony-tailed teenagers. I happened to overhear their conversation or you can call it unintentional snooping…Now who doesn’t like gossips? Some uncle’s wife’s cousin’s daughter was trying to get married but it seems her dark complexion was playing the villain! Then the friend, to my utter contempt, said, “Even your grand daughter is dark…how will you marry her off?” .Though slightly offended, I waited for my grand mom’s reaction. My nani brightly quipped, “Don’t worry Gita, Obama is the new president and black is the new white…you never know when people would start looking for intelligent dark women like Michelle as potential life partners.” Her friend’s ‘bowled over’ look was indeed a Kodak moment!
A few days back, nani’s friend happened to visit us. My nani was super-excited to meet her. It was delightful to watch them chirp like pony-tailed teenagers. I happened to overhear their conversation or you can call it unintentional snooping…Now who doesn’t like gossips? Some uncle’s wife’s cousin’s daughter was trying to get married but it seems her dark complexion was playing the villain! Then the friend, to my utter contempt, said, “Even your grand daughter is dark…how will you marry her off?” .Though slightly offended, I waited for my grand mom’s reaction. My nani brightly quipped, “Don’t worry Gita, Obama is the new president and black is the new white…you never know when people would start looking for intelligent dark women like Michelle as potential life partners.” Her friend’s ‘bowled over’ look was indeed a Kodak moment!
