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A few days ago I was surprised to see an advertisement for under arm fairness cream on television. Now I know that the third world has a skin complex but I never thought we had fallen in our own minds to this extent.
I suppose it started with the English who may have colonized and ruled many parts of the world but have rarely entered the intellect of the locals in a way they did with us. The east India Company used to deal with the common man of Hindustan through their chosen local mouth pieces and they were showered with rewards and a lifestyle far above their peers. Those local mouthpieces/puppets were also bestowed with powers to deal with the population as they pleased backed by English swords. This is where I think the whole “wanna be English” thing started. The easiest way to distinguish the two races was, of course colour of skin. Sounds familiar to the current scene in our corridors of power doesn’t it?
The English left us divided in two countries and later we made it three but the fascination of being like them has prevailed to this day. This is perhaps why we see numerous advertisements toting magical skin whitening effects in 6-8 days and every kind of body part being promised fairness and thus beauty as we see it. Further proof of this insanity is found and reinforced by our pop culture which sings songs like “gori rang ka zamana” and our sports super stars like Umar gul, who are shown applying fairness creams and then taking lots of wickets in the field the next moment. Fair = success is the mantra and I’m afraid to break it to you dear readers, but all this is nonsense.
I am not going to launch into a spiel on inner beauty here as all of us know how much that counts in today’s cut throat environment. However I would like to beg the question “Has anyone noticed what the other half of the world feels?” While we are dying to get white, they are tanning in the sun till they get skin cancer, applying henna and all sorts of assortments to get any kind of brown in their skin tone and marveling at how radiant our olive and brown complexion looks.
The rest of the world considers our skin colour beautiful and if you are not satisfied with the above examples then perhaps you need to look at the results of the last few miss universes and miss world pageants (shallow as they are) to see what beauty is to them these days, newsflash its brown!
So the concept of universal beauty is therefore a sham. Its all grass is greener on the other side, all over this mud ball and companies promising fairness or tanning are making a fool out of all of us and minting gazillions. These same companies then back musical and sports superstars to reinforce their message – get the picture? It’s a vicious cycle and every time you believe that your skin tinge or colour is going to hold you back all you are actually doing is falling prey to your own insecurities which these companies live off.
Gibran once said “People of Orphalese beauty is life when life unveils her holy face. But you are life and you are the veil. Beauty is eternity gazing itself in the mirror. But you are eternity and you are the mirror.”
Bottom line: God created us in his own image, each one of us is equal and beautiful put down the mirror, it’s of no use.
Faisal Kapadia is a writer/blogger based in Karachi.
The views expressed by this blogger and in the following reader comments do not necessarily reflect the views and policies of the Dawn Media Group.
Gora would like to become kala and vice versa.. I think, this is in human behavior. Opposite color always attracts. That looks exotic to the people. Here in west, girls like only black skin people. When they cant find any black ( Mostly African though) go for brown or white.. In India, everybody goes for light skin.. I read previous comments about Aryan invasion. This is absolutely wrong theory by western.. If it would be central Asian, then why don't we all look like Mongol.. This was all propaganda by Brits and Germans against India ( now Pak, Bang too). You know why?? Generally western people cant accept the fact that all Vedas, Upanishads and all other books written by people from Indian sub cont. Hence they started this fair vs dark skin theory. . May be we can discuss this issue, if somebody write blogs on that…
Cheers
Whiter skin tends to get wrinkly and prone to skin cancer whereas darker skin retains it's youthful elasticity in later years. The fortubpne that Americans spend on sunscreen and anti-aging creams and face-lifts is insane. But look at an African woman in her later years and she looks so natural and lovely.
Too good faisal… Just too good…!!!!
"Teri ye kala rang teri khata nahi – wo teel bana rahe the, syahi fishal gayee" said a renowned poet about the dark color of a famed bollywood actress.
The English ruled both India and Pakistan and not just us. Indians are generally darker than Pakistanis on average yet we don't see the same "go gora" craze there considering the size of their population. This comes down lack of education and ethics in our society as we are "show offs" and waste our time in these things.
Agree Adeel. I is just lack of eduction and show off.
The only reason the Pathans and Punjabis(that too mainly from West Punjab) dominate Bollywood is due to their fair skin colour. I guesss Hrithik Roshan (family from Gujranwala) to Kareena Kapoor (Peshawar) have the added advantage of being in not so fair complexioned part of India. Otherwise, the region from where they originally come from – every other boy and girl must be as fair as Hrithik or Kareena !
The miss universe pageant is neither shallow nor the concept of universal beauty is a sham. Long before the English race introduced the idea of white skin color in the Indian sub-continent or the Romans introduced their skin color in the island England, it was the Greeks who dominated the imagination of the Romans. To the Greeks, the beauty pageant would be viewed not just as a civic duty but a religious experience. Since the aim had been to contemplate beauty–a worthy aim–the efforts towards accomplishing such an aim would be viewed as noble. Is it not the goal of a religious experience to teach the person how to reach out for higher aims?
It is even more astonishing that the people who taught the world how to view the beauty also showed how their idea of beauty would possess the universal appeal. For example, the Greek statue of "Appollo of Belvedare", according to the historian Kenneth Clark in his book "Civilization", stands for a universal beauty. In this statue rests, according to him, the ideal of perfection–reason, order, justice and physical beauty–all in balance. The Roman Art and the art of the Renaissance testifies to that fact. The beauty pageant and the English influence for good, besides the superficiality of skin color, in the Indian sub-continent are in fact a tribute to Greeco-Roman world for universality.
No skin tone betters the dark one – especially women. Kali is the real deal – go dark!
So… what are we going to do about it… We need action instead of words… Unless women stop being so insecure about their "looks" in general, there will be no end to it.. They need to awaken themselves and address this problem.. Educate themselves that if a "guy" only likes, loves or wants them cause they are "fair and lovely", then they should seek a better person who is not shallow and in need of a trophy… A change in society is also needed to bring awareness to all, that we are what we are and there is no need to emulate or idolize anybody… Why can't we take ourselves at face-value and admire true qualities instead of fake looks and accessories… Its all about being insecure and low self-esteem… People spend billions on whiteners in this part of the world and the gora's spend billions on tanners… Its a win-win for the Corporations… and they love it…
Hmmm…. I think it is not just limited to angraiz, central asian invaders as well as the caste system embedded in Hinduism. It is more or less the case of supply and demand in the region as well as the general convention of beauty which is fed to us by all the media around us. I think there was a very good Maria Wasti play which took a very interesting approach towards the whole issue. It is interesting if you get to go to school with more dark skinned people or are surrounded by them you will start finding them more attractive. I think author is making a good point by highlighting an inferiority complex in our culture but he is not identifying all applicable contributing factors. At the end of the day, "Goroon kee na kaloon kee, yeh dunya hai dilwaloon kee…"
I think psychologically we consider fair skin to be associated with wealth and of high birth. Dark skin is considered to be someone who is poor and toils in the sun. If a caucasian Taxi driver comes to India or Pakistan, he is treated like a royal. However if a rich African American comes to India or Pakistan, he is not given special attention, till the time he starts flaunting his wealth
how one expect the equality of skin tones when your interveiwers notice your skin color while considering you for a job???? i had read a report a few years ago, that in general, beautiful people earn 13% more than not good looking people, and everyone of us knows very well that in pakistan beauty means fair skin!
if it is not the case, how many boys and girls will be willingly accept a dark complexioned person as their spouse???? so, i think the problem which extends from financial earning to maternal affairs, is not so simple. and as far as moral and ethical lectures like everyone is beautiful, or Sanwla is more attractive, are just rubbish. in today's world, there is a prevalent color discrimination and these mercy asking lectures won't help to remove it.
hey hey hey, there's a song "sanwali saloni si mehbooba" sung by the same band who sang "gore rang ka zamana" so i don't think they should be blamed
We need to be judged by our mind and not the body. The subtler is always more powerful. Enlightening is becoming subtler and lighter and not lighter in skin color. Our caste system was not birth based to begin with. Kala Krishna, son of a cowherd became the king of Dwarka and God for many. Alien rulers had to divide the local masses to rule so Varnashram ie division of labor was fossilized and used to divide the people. There was no Aryan. Arya means noble or saintly. It was never a race. When migrated Kashmir pandits toil on the sea and in rice paddy afrms they get dark in feew generation and also lose the sharp nose. Darker flat nosed Narsimha rao was the smartest and the ablest Prime Minister of India in recent history. Sage Vasishtha who compiled Mahabharatha was a fisherman by today's caste description. Similarly Valmiki, author of Ramayana was a tribal. Draupadi who caused Mahabharatha was as dark as coal.
The British weren't that long in the lands that became Pakistan but the preference for lighter skin tones probably has to do with our own history. Central Asians who invaded and conquored along with other races were lighter in colour than native peoples. People want to celebrate their ancestry as invader Muslims to South Asia like Mughals. I remember my mother call people who were dark converted Hindus so the impression that people have is that if you are dark it means that your family were converted Hindus- at least that's what they say in Punjab and Pakhtunkhwa. Nowadays, beauty is different all over the world and despite the loss of Germany in World War 2, many people still have the ideal of beauty as the Germanic look of blue eyed blondes. The only people in Pakistan who fit the Germanic ideal would be a minority in Northwest Pakistan and Northern Pakistan – so even the so called lighter Pashtuns, Kashmiris, Baluchis and Punjabis don't meet the Germanic ideal.
We call others racist but we Southasians are the most racist folk in the world. (only while comin to America i realized that black/ebony/african-american women are the hottest!) I have been mesmerized by their features ever since!
If black (Africans) would have been richer and more successful technologically developed everyone would have liked to be darker. Look india's economy is growing and now people in west are attracted towards their culture/tradition more than before. It's all about MONEY not color creed religion.
Sadly, its all done to impress other people. Would you marry a beautiful but icy personality or one who laughs with you, takes care of you and your family and is a pleasure to be with (at least most of the time). Would you like to be a beautiful piece of stone or a live human being? Most people have had Haq Mehr of amounts they cannot afford, opulent weddings they cannot afford and what not else. It has been going on since time immemorial and till who knows when. True religion tells us that nothing matters but God's will for us but we are always tempted to put false perceptions first. Fight it brothers and sisters, the truth will set you free. Make the habit.
Dil ke samjhane ko yeh khayal accha hai. But, it is a fact that so far as beauty is concerned, in the eyes of beholder, 50% marks are reserved for fair colour alone, remaining 50% marks are for other features. Kali may not be a gali but for a commoner, dark colour requires extra efforts to keep his confidence in tact.
Hi Faisal, First of all congrats on writing such a nice article. I reckon we want to follow the west blindly just to show that we've high standards. BTW, what I've noticed, white skin is favoured over dark because it gives you a neat look . That's the only reason I can guess. But this is my own point of view. Anyways, we have to be thankful to Almighty Allah whatever skin tone he has given us.
Have a good day!!!
I think the writer is over reacting. People are entitled to do what makes them happy….. If applying these creams make gals our guys happy, let it be….I mean there is nothing else in the sub-continent to do anyways
Black is Beautiful! But I still prefer a women with fair complexion.
To all those who are supporting the writer's viewpoint about craze for fairness…how many of you would accept a dark skinned desi spouse?
Stop jumping on the bandwagon and start doing something about it!
In the Sub-continent everyone is a racist. The Pashtuns (including Imran Khan) think of themselves as the superiormost due to their lighter skin color followed by the West Punjabis, East Punjabis, Sindhis, and as you move south or east. The despise for Bengalis by the West Pakistanis was mainly due to their dark complexion.
I agree with the author of this Dawn piece. You, unfortunately, have little idea of what you are saying. Imran Khan does not think he is better because he is fairer, he believes he is better because he simply is. Looking like a God from fairytales, having an excellent career, having the ability to charm any woman he wants, being incredibly honest and intelligent and shining amongst a bunch of political ninkampoops and having the nation's only World Cup lying around in the bedroom does that to people. Secondly, the despise for Bengalis wasn't because they were darker, the relationship involved so many more complexities which I doubt you have the intellectual capacity to handle judging from your comment.
i believe you are severely misinformed as to why some ethnic groups think they are superior it is mostly due to the language rather than skin color and i don't believe Asians are racist at all. we are too old a people. were all hybrids. yes we do like to make fun of anyone who is different
but that has nothing to do with being racist.
Well infact the craze of fairness started with the invasion of Central Asian rulers in the sub-continent as they were more fair in complexion than the locals, and this impact became more firm by the arrival of British rulers. However, it sure is pathetic that our people have been crazy about fair skin.
i dun agree with this concept of slavery to be applied here …..Human is social animal who always needs more….blonds want to black and black wants to be fair ….so writer please do research before u write
I absolutely agree with you asad
I also agree with you. Beauty pageants argument is also wrongly presented, their more wieghtage is given to shape or figure or proportion than to the color of the skin of the participants.
well said Mr Faisal,
its entirely true n valid phenomenon prevailing now a days in our society…this is gift of commercialism n advertisement…we can say it a pseudo-complex which is facing every individual of black complexion……..
nice thought and i think we should not confuse about white or black but we should try to improve our other abilities for a successful life…
Do you really think people are gonna buy the "God created us in his own image, each one of us is equal and beautiful put down the mirror, it’s of no use."?
About tanning, when white people tan themselves, they actually look hot. Brown people have the ugly brown in them. Even though I've seen there's brown people who have some features that could turn you on. In Pakistan it's all about the skin tone. Outside it's always about the features.
"when white people tan themselves, they actually look hot". Quite a biased opinion don't you think boy!!
so true buddy ! in pakistan no matter how your features are ,if you are white you fly in the sky and hardly ever come down
I think someone should sue the companies when they sell there products using derogatory terms for sanwla color. Sanwla color is our identity and we should be proud of it.
I was checking out a really funny ad on youtube of face whitening cream and thought this is what I'm going to blog about and then I saw this. I'm now reblogging some of this along with what I'd collected so far. Love the title!
i have a question, al these ideas are great but al these ideas are based from the things what we know on earth…isn't better to base all these ideas and philosophies based outside the earth and things we don't really know??
Actually Kaali is not a Gaali.. But the color "Black" is the sign of darkness by nature itself. As like Kaali Billi, Night without light, Kaali Nazar, Kala Paani (gandaa pani), Kala Kauwa and many other things where the human psychology avoid that color, Black means fear. White is the soaber color and suite to anyone… We use the Opponent of White is Black, thats Because we avoid Black. So if u avoid black non-lives in your life, then u also dislike the Black in ur live cases. And Remember in thge case of skin i think, it is wrong to inspire by Englishpeople, but in our south asian tradition the "Sanvilla" is more valuable than the "White like Englishpeople". I think here the Features (look) are more important than color.
Well its human nature that you always long for a thing which you lack! As u have already answered in u r article that goras want to be tanned so lets Creamwala enjoy some business and we all LOSE some business.So BEST of LUCK to all goras to become kalas and all kalas to become goras.
Varna System( as it called in ancient India) Arya, Dasa & Dasyu..all was their in ancient India the role being divided according to the texture and colour of skin.This happened even before they knew about their western counterparts. Kumari(Aloe vera) was widely used to lighten up the colour and texture of kaya(skin), as mentioned in Ayurveda and as well as in some parts of 'Kautilya's Arthashashatra' in 3rd BC. As the author says this is due to the 'Angreez' factor then he has to get his facts clear. We the people of Indian Subcontinent long for what we dont have.
Sub-continent culture considers skin colour as an essential part of definiing 'beauty'. Therefore, any black models or actresses like Naomi Cambell or Hally Barry won't be considered beautiful over here.
I suppose centuries ago this phenomenon existed in west as well. "Mirror mirror on the wall…who is fairest of them all". Shakespeare's plays often contain adjectives like fair to define beauty.
The craze with tanning in west came due to two reasons. The concept that South American race (which is a mix of fair europeans and dark toned locals) is considered the best in skin color. Secondly, in recent times a rich a British person spending a holiday abroad would come back home with a tan. Thus it became a status symbol and started as a trend for the general public.
Well said Faisal!
~Fareen
Colour discrimination is so embedded in the core of our psyche that it has become the worst form of discrimination alongwith Castism in India ( & also Pakistan , Bangladesh I suppose ) . With film stars like Shahrukh Khan endorsing FAIRNESS CREAMS even for men , it has become mainstream reality , no longer hidden . Faisal is very right that the British started to promote GORA over KALA , but we have lapped it even better than our ( former ) colonial masters .
You have hit the nail on the head! This obsession is now even ruining our country-side folks with innocent girls getting lured in by these mischievous ads. Well written.