Complexion Complex

I was reading a poem by the famous Indian poet Bharathiyar.  Here are a few lines

வெள்ளை நிறத்தொரு பூனை;- எங்கள் / Vellai nirathoru poonai; – engal

வீட்டில் வளருது கண்டீர்; / Veetil valaruthu kandeer;

பிள்ளைகள் பெற்றது பூனை / Pillaigal pettrathu poonai

அவை பேருக்கொரு நிறமாகும் / Avai perukoru niramaagum

சாம்பல் நிறமொரு குட்டி – கருஞ் / Saambal niramoru kutti – karunj

சாந்து நிறமொரு குட்டி / Saanthu niramoru kutti

பாம்பு நிறமொரு குட்டி – வெள்ளை / Paambu niramoru kutti – vellai

பாலின் நிறமொரு குட்டி / Paalin niramoru kutti

எந்த நிறமிரு ந்தாலும் – அவை / Entha niram irunthaalum – avai

யாவும் ஒரே தர மன்றோ? / Yaavum orey tharam anro?

இந்த நிறம்சிறி தென்றும் – இது / Intha niram sirithendrum – Ithu

ஏற்ற மேன்றும் சொல்லலாமோ? / Aettram enrum sollallaamo?

வண்ணங்கள் வேற்றுமை பட்டால் – அதில் / Vannangal vaettrumai pattaal – athil

மானுடர் வேற்றுமை இல்லை; / Maanudar vettrumai illai;

எண்ணகள் செய்கைக ளெல்லாம் – இங்கு / Ennangal seigaigal ellaam – ingu

யாவர்க்கும் ஒன்றெனல் காணீர் / Yaavarkum Onrenal kaaneer

My translation to English:

There grows in my house

A cute white cat

This cat birthed kitten

Each named after its colour

One was the colour of ash

Another as black as dye

Another had the colours of a snake

Another was white as milk

No matter what colour they were

Were they not the same?

Could we say that this colour was superior

And that one inferior?

Colours may be different

But that makes no difference in the human

It is the thoughts and the actions

That actually make a difference.

——————————————-

It seems like the opposite in India, though. Colour sure makes a difference. The Fairness Cream industry in India is an Rs.800 crore market.

Matrimonial ads still read – Girl with fair complexion. Now, we’ve found a euphemism – “WHEATISH” complexion. This word ‘wheatish’ is of Indian origin, it doesn’t feature in the English dictionary. It is here in India that most of us are naturally some shade of brown, and we all aspire to be a few shades lighter than we are. The origin of the word ‘wheatish’ is this mentality, this aspiration to be a few shades fairer.

Bring out the fairness meter… let’s MEASURE skin tone.

And so, companies have come with a SHADE METER. Shade meters for teeth seem okay, because yellow teeth are unhealthy. But Shade Meters for skin? What is the standard to be measured to? As fair as snow? As white as the whitewashed wall? (I’m surprised that products actually have the word “whitening”).  I feel sad when I see many beautifully brown men and women wanting to become just a little fairer and progress on their fairness meter.

It’s rather amusing to see woman with golden facial hair!! It’s a result of the ammonia in their facial bleach with takes the colour off facial hair and makes it look golden brown. And since the men have always been using their wives’ and sisters’ fairness creams, the cosmetic firms (the first-mover being Emami in India), decided to come out into the open with Men’s fairness creams.

It’s necessary to take good care of the skin, protect it from the sun’s harmful rays, cold weather, pollution and damage. It’s good to keep it moisturized. Good to go to the beauty parlours and pamper it with the goodies. Good to take care of the skin just like we would take care of the teeth, the eyes etc. The skin is a major part of the body that needs care and looking after.

But a few shades fairer? Where does that come from? Why does fairer have to be better? We shed off extra kilos and become fit, because fitter is better. On the same lines, do we strive to become fairer, because we have been taught that fairer is better? People tell me “Don’t go out in the sun, it’ll make you darker.” They never say, “It damages your skin”. Mothers are so intent to get the girls fairer at least before the wedding.

I think most people unthinkingly get into the “fairness race”, (I meant the ‘competition race’, not the ‘classification of humans’ into races, though it would be meaningful in that context too). Colour-based differences alone have to led to whole people-groups being destroyed and suppressed. Of course, I’m not implying that a fairness-cream user is a racist. But think awhile, why would we subscribe to that line of thinking that “fairer is better” – the very same thinking that has led to the demeaning and oppression of races? We just fail to pause and reflect about why we want to be a little fairer? Because, everyone wants to be a little fairer? That’s hardly reason enough. Because fairer is better? In what way? Pause and contemplate. The whole fairness madness is a regression in civilization.

And it all started pretty early. Did not the witch in the Snow White fairy tale ask the mirror, “Who is the fairest of them all?”*

P.S.: The fairy tale “Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs” is believed to have originated in European countries around the 15th century, though it was the Grimm brothers that made it famous in the 1800s.

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Category : Indian Society, Skin Colour
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