I was reading a blog by my close friend on Raj(Quota/Caste Systems) and how India has evolved from a third world country to a more mature Corporate Super Power today. But, have we really got there? There are so many positives leaving behind the negatives like poverty, corruption and population of our country. From getting Independence from the British to today, we have seen the brighter side of life to grow into a strong position that we are. Slavery and Racism seem to plague us all along this path of glory.
Often we draw inspiration from people around us. I must not forget to thank Abhi for motivating me in getting me to blog today.
Not long ago, the attacks on Indian students in Australia have once again raised the ugly head of racism. The Aussie-India Border Gavaskar Trophy saw it surface but the blame game got better of it and the topic was shut. Once again, India is caught up in the middle of a racist storm involving many innocent lives. Few years ago, the Big Brother controversy launched Shilpa Shetty as an international anti-racism icon from India. This is entirely appropriate as Indians are arguably the biggest targets of racism in the world anywhere in the world . And they are targeted not just by unlettered Brits (simply for the reason that they ruled us for 200 years) or Australian thugs. Is it because we are so racist ourselves most times, that we are so quick to react to a racist attack: it always takes a racist to catch a racist. And our racism is colour-coded in black-and-white terms:it either white (inherently superior and desirable) or black (inferior and undesirable)
In the Indian colour scheme of things, black is far from beautiful or attractive. The idiomatic word for a black person of African origin in the US is 'nigger' which is harsh on them, which was derived from the days of the slave trade in Africa and early traders and travellers from Africa. Why not respect them as African- Americans ?? Do we ?? Arent we all racists here ???
For all India's support of fighting apartheid in South Africa's white regime, North India especially at least is steeped in colour prejudice. For the North Indian, fair is always lovely, as those abominably tasteless TV commercials keep proclaiming: Don't get sun burnt, use skin whitening creams, or you'll end up dark and no one will marry you. (Do you ever remember when you last saw a matrimonial ad seeking an 'attractive, dark-complexioned life partner'?)
Is dark literally beyond the pale for us? Why ? Do we blame the slavery of 250 years under the white rule? Is a pale skin, as against a deep tan, a testimonial to social rank, segregating those who don't have to toil under the sun from those who do? A farmer works all his life on the fields in a country where Agriculture is considered the backbone of the Economy!! His skin is pale too! Do we see that as beauty or hard work ?Whatever the reason, fair skin is a passport to drawing social acceptance -- which might partly explain why an increasing number of Caucasians look for assignments in India, be it as MNC executives, flight hostesses, call centre executives or bartenders in 5-star hotels.
Our racism is largely, but not exclusively, based on colour. Caste is India's unique contribution to the dictionary of racial intolerance. Whether 'caste' - a result of cultural and social segmentation - can rightfully be conflated with 'race' - with its genetic and physiological links- is a matter of academic debate. However, we read of many horrifying stories of rural Dalit who face the wrath of the superior "castes". How different are we as a nation who once supported South Africa in their worst days of apartheid.
Caste apart, real or imagined ethnic traits compound our racism. People from the north-east are said to have 'Chinky' eyes and are routinely asked if they eat dogs. The 'Seven Sister' states are often considered a separate and secluded country due to their geographical distance from the central regions. Even in so-called 'mainstream' India, we have sub-divided ourselves with pejoratives: 'Panjus' or 'Surds', whose culture is associated to lassi, bhangra, agriculture, rotis and turbans; stingy 'Marrus' ; mercenary 'Gujjus' who eat 'heavy snakes' for their evening tea; lazy, shiftless 'Bongs'; 'Madrasis'( this is the part I hate the most) who all live south of the Vindhyas and speak a funny tounge twisting 'Illay-po' language. In our deep-rooted provincialism is our boastful utterance and deceptive unity.
No wonder we can't stand racism. It reminds us uneasinessof the face we see in our own mirror. Now, how can we dare say others are racist when we are racial among ourselves ???
