I still believe as a friend of mine put it very aptly, India or should I say Indians are still ruled by the white. I never thought of it, until she put it her views down. Tried to dismiss them but then realized after I thought about it that it’s sadly true.
It’s disturbing to watch Indians or individuals kissing the ass of each and every white guy/girl around, be it students, dressed in rags anything. Examples? I went to a beach with a couple friends from Australia, couple white guys here for externship. I recall a wedding party who came up to them, started chatting, getting them food and then asked them to come to the reception / wedding and got them on the bus, provided for them as if they were King’s coming home. Did they ask anyone else in the group? The Indians (brown people?) of course not.
Hell the same buddy told me himself about how easy it is to get Indian chicks in Manipal cuz he’s white.
I’ve seen doormen opening doors for white people and not for the Indians? Why is that? A white chick passes by and every dude starts staring. Doesn’t matter if she’s 20 or 50, good looking or well nothing. The oogles are pathetic.
I think the best example to see this visually would be in Goa. Oh the treatment mettle for the Caucasians is far better then that handed out to the Indians. A waiter tried to pull shit on me when I called him, didn’t come and went in a single call to the bunch of white dudes sitting at the next table. My brother almost ripped his head apart.
The status of one is superior to the other, even if one is at the position of head janitor to lower janitor. Does it make them feel superior to others because they had a “white” skinned person in their mist? What do you think will happen when you go to Europe / Americas / Canada, you think they will come out with even 1% of the same treatment? Hell no. No one gives a damn. You have a turban implies your chances of getting jobs are already 1/2ed. You think anyone will give a crap? “OMG a brown guy, let’s take him home and get him some food some nice pasta and sausages”? No, either you’ll be ignored most of the time, or given a harder time.
All these weddings and functions everyone is obsessed with getting make up on to make themselves as ‘fair as possible”. A Punjabi saying “Kuri / Munda ta gori chiti chahidi/a” translates into “the girl/guy should be as light skinned as possible”. Everyone has his or her preferences but seriously this obsession is bordering on the ridiculous. It’s amusing for me to watch commercials that all border on how to make you fairer. I will not say anything to the corporations making these ad’s as the fact is that they are just capitalizing on an already preconceived and set notion in the Indian minds. It’s a business to make money.
I go to the beaches in Goa for two main reasons: the food and to get an awesome tan!
But seriously it’s about time Indians here in India grow some balls and start treating their own people better rather then focussing on who is whiter. Seriously. It’s pathetic to watch.
K.S.
Perfect image to compliment the article, thank you who ever did that!
@Kanwar Thanks.
By the way, This phenomenon is not purely Indian. Happens in many places across the world. Also, in India, it is not just restricted to white people, even the caste system, acts in a similar way. People who are "fairer"/with a more whiter tone, are looked up to and those with a darker skin tone are looked down upon.
I've realized that. Hell I can tell it even happens among my own relations. I;ve noticed that enough times. But the way as to treat them a zillion times better while treating your own worse is just disturbing. It's so easy to notice this. An coming from Canada it's quite pathetic an amusing.
You are right.In Goa,indians are looked down upon by the locals and white skin people will be treated with more respect.
This phenomenon is all over India.People are obsessed with white skin.
Personally,I don't discriminate girls on the basis of color when it comes to ogling at them. 😀
@Anonymous Mate, I can assure you, It's not just in Goa, Happens all the time in other places in India as well. It even happens abroad too. And as for the fact that you don't discriminate against girls… Well, it does mean that you are partial to them 😀 and you discriminate based n gender??
All NRI's are Bloody Racists!! They think they should be given preferental treatment over others!!
@Govardhan? Thanks I'm an NRI an as far as I know neither have I received Preferential treatment nor have I asked for it. What makes you say that NRI's are racist? Please elaborate. Though I'm confused as to how is your comment linked to this post at all? Or related?
@Dr Vishaal: I know it happens abroad. But abroad say US / Canada / Europe it's a primarily a Caucasian dominance. As much as I hate to say this, they are sticking out for their own. The issue here is that in India we don't stick out for own own at all giving all sorts of preferential treatment to others.
@Govardhan Did you have a bad experience? What is the source of your ire??
@Kanwar I didn't mean to say that the Caucasians treat us substandard!! I meant that we Indians, when we go abroad, treat the Caucasians there are somebody greater than us, it's not just in India!! I have seen many of my colleagues and staff members, extolling the virtues of the Caucasian culture, while those who follow the same here in India, are looked down upon by the same people!!
^^ Fully agree.
If you know the history of this 'worship white people' mentality it results back to centuries of years ago when the British invaded and colonized India. I was told by an Asian person that the mentality of looking up to white people/ lighter skin was in Indian culture way before the British came to India but it wasn't extreme (if you know what I'm saying.)
Now when the British invaded India they endorsed the 'worship white skin' and kinda brainwashed the Indians into thinking that white skin was better as they would separate the lighter Indians from the darker Indians and would treat the lighter Indians better than the darker Indians.
This act was endorsed for quite a long time so it became the norm in Indian culture to look up to white people and lighter skin. Now obviously it is now harder to break this influence as it has been endorsed by both whites and Indians for a long time.
Look at the history or the even Ramayan or all the devatas.
I personally believe that there were two tribes when the books were written, the fair people considered themselves as Gods and the darker people as rakshasas… So, it is natural for Indians to workship the fairer people and show dislike Harijans or Black people.
Indians are the most racist ppl on earth. (I am including the uneducated population of India as well, so don't get offended, you may be an exception)
wht are you talking about??? im indian but i dont have a "worship" mentality toward whites…i treat them as i treat every1 else. but its true tht i have more of a connection w/ other indians than with white ppl since they are my own race
@Srikanth But shouldn't the advent of the technology and genetic mapping have reduced this??
@Ram Chander That is an interesting analogy. But calling Indians Racists is carrying it too far??
@Angelica Wake up!! where have you been?? There is such an obvious delineation in the Indian mentality towards the white skin!! It is seen in so many of the adverts on telly and elsewhere!!
half the population wants to kiss their ass, and the other half tries to rip them off. i was surprised by a roadside fruit vendor when he started gloating over 'Special Capital ke Santre (oranges)', then i saw the white-skin in question bargaining, prices rose by rs. 20. yes, there are many who manage to balance the scales;no offence to them, congratulations.
But there are so many more who will not stop staring.
eg: Aamir Khan ads : "atithi devo bhavah" is based on that tenfency.
Its just a shame we can't treat them with the same indifference and arrogance we reserve for our fellow indians.
@Ram Chandra: Please excuse my knowledge on these matters, but as far as I recall having watched / read both the Ramayana / Mahabharata epics multiple times weren't both Lord Rama and Lord Krishna blue in color not white? An referring to someone as Harijan is pretty old and promotes castism. Mahatma Gandhi was the person who gave this word for a certain sect of people.
@Angelica: I wish more people here were like you. Sadly that isn't case.
@Hitchhiker: LIke I said earlier. Business is something different. In his case no problem as well he knows he can get more money from foreigners who don't know the prices. Making the best out of the situation. I love your last line so apt "
Its just a shame we can't treat them with the same indifference and arrogance we reserve for our fellow indians."
Here is an interesting development related to the above post. Wonder what the real story behind it is ? Ranbir says no to fairness cream endorsement – Times of India.
Perhaps its because of certain 'semi-true' stereotypes the media perpetuates these days. We all watch, read and listen to stuff about how a country with white people (U.S, or any European country) are developing, and coming up with things m…ost of us would believe as a 'not happening' thing in our country. That in our minds, automatically connects to the idea that they are above us, which in turn makes us think that their attention would be favorible. Its to do with the fact that people do not process a thought properly before concluding. A lay man from India may consider a white person at a higher pedestel in terms of intellct, or possibly anything. What he/she may not realize is that the country is developing faster just because their 'system' is better. Not the people. The way white folks run their countries is more efficient, and hence their reputation. I personally feel that there are some white people out there who don't deserve an ounce of respect, plainly for their personality, and that the colour doesn't affect what goes on in a person's mind, or his/her life. But since its a stereotype to think otherwise, it can't be helped much. Very Well Written!!
@Vishal Sir,
@Anonymous Mate, I can assure you, It's not just in Goa, Happens all the time in other places in India as well.It even happens abroad too.
———————————————————-
I didn't say it is confined to Goa.Just because of preponderance of foreign tourists in Goa,the AFFECT is pronounced more in there.
And as for the fact that you don't discriminate against girls… Well, it does mean that you are partial to them 😀 and you discriminate based n gender??
—————————————————————————
I have no business with boys when it comes to ogling as I'm straight.Simple.I don't think it's discrimination.
@Anonymous
"Personally,I don't discriminate girls on the basis of color when it comes to ogling at them. :D"
But you do discriminate the male gender based on color :).
Just look at the number of fairness cream ads– really bugs me.
I think there will be a very small number of people who don't discriminate on the basis of skin color.
Consciously/Unconsciously we all have this picture in our heads that has been force fed by generations behind us and the media that white is beautiful.
Thats why the mother of a 3.5 month old worries that her daughter has "lost color" or become less fair, thats why a guy who himself has a dark complexion rejects girls on the basis that they are not "fair". And these are all educated people mind you.
It sounds incredibly naive when people say discrimination on the basis of color doesn't occur—– and you know i'm not even talking about giving special preference to foreigners–it happens amongst us on a daily basis.
Matrimonial ads still have "fair" as main criteria, mothers still warn daughters about getting tanned, girls still buy expensive fairness creams and yes being fair/white still gives you an advantage in a lot of places.
Life is un"fair".
Fairness creams advertisements are one of the dumbest I've seen. But like I mentioned earlier, business are doing exactly what they should profitting on prevalent norms and playing on self doubt. Gotta make a profit, ethics aren't exactly money making.
I know guys who wouldn't go out with a girl who's complexion is dark. Educated people. Some with Post grads. Then again I know some girls who would do the same. We've really got to look beyond this craze. But as you said sadly enough due to all these ideas fairness sadly does give some advantages. "Some"
@all: sorry to be joining this conversation late. But being an NRI, I agree with Kanwar and disagree with Govardhan. Being from the middle east we have been at the wrong end of preferential treatment. Hell, we hardly have any rights there. As for the fair skin, well, lets be straight here. Its comes naturally for everyone to like lighter skin – the bottom line is .. as long as a person is comfortable with one's own skin color, it doesnt really matter 🙂
@Varun "As for the fair skin, well, lets be straight here. Its comes naturally for everyone to like lighter skin"
And why is that?? It is because of the media channels which highlight the same!! Not because it is naturally embedded in our genes!! Just visit this link to see what I meant Racists , of course this one is fiction and the ending is only in the book, but must make for interesting reading right!!
Batman said,I stumbled upon this link which says that Sagarika Ghose,deputy editor of CNNIBN,passes on racist comments on India men 😛 :DI am sad that an Indian woman says like this 🙁
^^ Batman: thx for sharing that link. Pretty bad. Though I love how the one line standard apology comes out in an instant. As if that's supposed to fix everything. I don't even believe in sorry's mostly anymore.
@Varun: I don't think it's "natural" at all. Most of us are brainwashed into giving it a more favorable response. Problem is that most people (I hope so) are usually comfortable with their skin colour. It's the family / friends / media that plays on them telling them that no there is something wrong with you. You need to be lighter. Go get these skin creams.
@Kanwar actually, the Sagarika Ghose incident took place over 3 days. It was only due to pressure by the CNN international management that she apologized and also promptly banned a few of her twitter followers, who dared to question her comment.
Ugly Men Controversy – On 29th January 2011 Sagarika Ghose tweeted the following on a social networking site Twitter "Notes from Bangkok airport: Indian males as a species must be the ugliest in the world! The ones on Twitter sound ugly too!" which was heavily criticized on twitter and was on top trending for 3 days in India.Her sexist and racist tweets were reported to TeamCNN and TeamCNN was asked if CNN endorsed her views. Though CNN network did not tender an apology on her behalf but tweeted back the following on 31'st January 2011 – SG issued this apology:"My comments on Indian males was never intended to offend or hurt. Am deeply sorry if it did. My sincere apologies"
Awesome post, man… and very true.
@ram chander only yesterday i was saying the SAME thing to one of my frnz!!
@KS the blue color just indicates that they have royal(and godly) blood. although krishna was dark skinned, Mira, the bhakti saint sang:"Radha kyo gori, main kyu kaala?" meaning:"Why is Radha so fair, and I(Krishna) so dark?"
even i believe all the deva/asur mythologies just divide us Indians into Aryans and Dravidians broadly. Have you ever noticed that ALL the demons came from the south?