Kariya

I was listening to some kannada song with reasonably good lyrics and not too bad music. How did that happen? Because I only listen to radio one or one not four which play Hindi songs. It happened thus. The mobile was in my jacket pocket. And I was washing vessels. May be when I bent, the channel changed. I was reluctant to switch back the channel.

So I ended up listening kannada song. And I was happy for the turn of events(channels).  Decided to myself I should listen more kannada songs. Then came the opening line and I was crest fallen. The line was" kariya I love you...". Kariya in kannada is blacky. Hey girl, aren't you supposed to love a fair boy with blue eyes Hritik-ish? This is the color prejudice all of us Indians share. Fair is pretty, black is ugly. I know it is completely wrong. But prejudice is prejudice.

I remember one incident from my childhood. One of my uncles is pretty dark and looks more so because his other siblings are all pretty fair. My three year old cousin pinky (pinky,  I know you don't have time to read this blog)  had come home. And my this  uncle entered the house. Pinky exclaimed "He came inside the house". Because of the complexion she thought he was one of the servants. My uncle jovially joined others in the laughter. I wonder whether he was hurt by such comments.

But I know one person who is frequently hurt by such comments. One of our acquaintances was telling us the other day "My wife is very fair. (he is pretty dark). And our children ask my wife "Mom, why did you marry such a dark person"? And these type of comments come quite frequently and each time they hurt me."  The other way does not normally happen. If a man is fair, there is no chance (in India ) that he will marry a dark lady.

I also know that this madness for color has caused the mushrooming of fairness creams. And that is really ridiculous. Let me tell you from own experience. Both my parents are fair and me and my sisters are not so fair. So when parents were searching for a groom for me, they wanted to convert me - quite thin, not fair girl into a beauty. And every now and then my mother would comment now you are looking slightly fairer. What would have happened is I would have put on a little weight and that would cause slight improvement of color. So if you eat healthy food and look healthy, then your complexion will improve. Not by putting layers of creams on the face.