Color Of Skin

"Kaala hua to kya hua, Krishna bhagwan bhi to kaale the" "What's so big deal if he is dark, even God Krishna was dark"

Amit used to wonder why his blackness was always a discussion point. This comment was made when her grandmother introduced him to one of her friends on the terrace of their house on a bright sunny winter day. Amit smiled, as usual, told his name and wanted to run away but the elderly lady was not done and she quipped again

"Koi baat nahi beta tumhari dulhan ekdum gori hogi"

"No issues my boy, your bride will be good extremely fair" 

Amit who was just seven years old thought about the bride and just ran away blushing a little. He had some inkling of what a bride is. Normally one doesn't talk about girls in front of elders. Generally, boys don't make friends with girls and if one does it is considered sissy at that age. This continues for quite a long into adolescence for many in Indian society and partly the reason for so many marriages in India to be arranged by parents.

Amit used to wonder that none of the calendars where Lord Krishna was depicted in his full resplendent attire was looking dark in color and which was somewhat contradictory to his young mind. Sometimes he used to think maybe Krishna was of lighter shade which is called "savla" (Hindi) which is also dark but a good one. 

Years passed and Amit used to wonder on and off about his color. Being dark in color made him an odd one out in many places. Indian society is entrenched with the awe for lighter skin. With so many whitening creams shown day in day out on the Televisions and media that it definitely puts thought into young minds more often than not. We have got boys applying Fair and Lovely and ultimately there was a Fair and Handsome when the company found out that there is a market for fairness cream in men and boys as well. Amit was the only one in the whole class of his who was not fair-complexioned so definitely the oddest one out. Once during the college days, all his friends contributed and gifted him a packet of Fair and Handsome.

Amit's Grandfather was a handsome dark man and sometimes when mother was unhappy with something she will get this topic out. Amit lived with his family thousands of kilometers away and many other cousins stayed with the grandfather in the ancestral home. Most of the cousins were of fair complexion. Amit's mother will say why did he give his love to my kid by giving him his color of skin. Dear mother didn't know that color is the expression of genes that distance can't control. 

Nevertheless, life went on meandering like a wild hilly river going from places, different schools, colleges, cities, and even a few countries. But the thought of color remained very much attached to his subconscious and almost all decisions were affected one way or the other. While growing up he thought what if he goes to a place where the dark skin is in majority and one doesn't feel odd. Also, he used to think about what does it take to win in this genetic lottery. Whenever twenty-three chromosomes crossed over and the genes mixed, how these get expressed as a physical attribute is something he pondered on. The so-called designer babies who can have the features chosen like ala carte meal or the latest electronic gadget fascinated him. He also thought what will be the real good example of tall, dark and handsome when everyone probably was looking for fair. Even many scriptures talk about dasa or dasyus who were the servants and dark-skinned people.

Years later, Amit is standing outside the OT and his wife has gone in for the delivery. He is called in and a few moments after, when someone asks him Is it a boy or a girl? He says it's a girl and with a broad smile says, she doesn't have my color.