Is color a key criteria to judge a person?

One morning, when I was skimming through the news updates on my phone, an article popped out, whose title piqued my curiosity. It was: 'Fair and Lovely changes its name to 'Glow and Lovely' for women and 'Fair and Handsome' has been renamed as 'Glow and Handsome' for men'. I earnestly plunged into the article for further details because there were several questions running in my mind regarding this upheaval. For what reason Hindustan Unilever Ltd had to remove the word 'Fair' from one of the most successful brands that has always minted money and shot up to instant fame ever since its foundation? Why was there a sudden change in plans without any prior notification? With these train of thoughts, I read the article and several interesting details came to light.

Fair and Lovely (or rather Glow and Lovely) was launched in the year 1975. In fact, it was the only fairness cream in the market during those days and the product had given a tough competition to the business tycoons since it had earned a lot compared to the standards then. It was the king of the stock market and no other brand of creams could ever shine or gain popularity. Presently, there are many new fairness creams available in the market every now and then. People are preferring variety in their choice and they do not want to be monotonous i.e. selecting the same every time. They have become experimental and started trying everything new.

Now, the reason Hindustan Unilever Ltd. has given for the renaming is that they support the # 'Black Lives Matter' movement and do not want to indulge in any discrimination. So they have decided to rename their highest-grossing product to show their solidarity to the fight against racism and the brutality committed against dark skinned people.

That is just one side of the story and not the complete one. After the barbaric homicide of George Floyd-who was accused for producing a counterfeit bill in a shop and was ruthlessly killed by cops who strangled him to death by placing their knee over his neck- the company received lots of backlash from people across the world for upholding the practice of apartheid through their discriminatory ads. Not once or twice, but many a times their ads conveyed the message that dark-skinned people have no chance to grow in life and become entrepreneurs. According to their ads, men are considered to be handsome and women flock around them only if they are fair. Also, it was shown that people priorly look only at the skin tone while offering jobs. All this was considered a prejudice against the dark skinned people. In fact, many celebrities who endorsed the brand were trolled badly on online platforms. There were even threats to boycott the product. So listening to all the melodrama going on, they decided to part with the earlier name. But, I really don't understand one thing. Rechristening doesn't actually change the purpose of the product right? Just adding a different synonym is not going to make a sky-to-earth difference.

But whatsoever, this has made people realize that outer beauty is completely superficial and it is the inner beauty that actually matters. Handsome doesn't mean external appearance; it means 'giving your hand to some' in dire need.

But sadly, it was a late realization in the US. The momentary pleasure the police obtained by harassing a black man and showing their superiority and autocracy cost them very huge. The cops were many a times stopped by the bystanders who told them not to give oneself up to manslaughter. They were reprimanded, but never heeded to the onlookers' advice. Their one action cost them to lose their privilege in the society. What is worse is that, Mr. Floyd already suffered from coronary artery disease! Due to the choking near the neck region, he faced a cardiopulmonary attack and died. This inhumane killing spread like wildfire across the globe and everywhere across the US, people started protesting and demanding that justice be delivered for him. The place where Mr. Floyd's body was placed-near the car door by the cops that day-was flooded with bouquets and letters. Also, videos taken by the witnesses during his execution went viral on all kinds of platforms. The entire world was aghast and completely shaken by the killing. There was not even a single person whose conscience did not prick after getting to know that Mr. Floyd had repeatedly begged the officers and told them "I cannot breathe", but the officers  cold-heartedly watched the play. Although out of the four, two were charged with aiding and abetting second-degree murder and the other two were charged of second and third degree murder respectively, this was a wakeup call for the world and all the questions regarding racism resurfaced again.

This incident opened everyone's eyes and people realized that deep-rooted evils like racism can never get completely vanquished. It is hidden behind a very thick veil and breaching it is totally difficult. You can unveil it for some period, but later on, somehow or the other, it creeps into our thoughts. You can do away with ideologies of apartheid completely in a place, but it really doesn't last long.

One such place that could achieve mammoth victory against apartheid was South Africa. Not that it is totally non-existent there now, but it is comparatively lesser because people have borne immeasurable hardships during those days. There was racism to the fullest with blacks being considered as outlaws, to imprisonment, if one raised their voice. Their life was a twilight existence of secrecy and rebellion. Also, atrocities were perpetrated on them very heartlessly. I really don't understand why other countries of the world don't learn from the bitter past of Africa and how they preached that blacks and whites are the same and color is just a trivial matter. Racism is a case of mind over matter. If you don't mind, it doesn't matter!

But in India, it is the complete opposite. Dark color is considered something that dampens your enthusiasm. Even in matrimonial sites too, there is more demand for only fair skinned people. Light-skinned people are called 'beautiful' and dark skinned people are called 'ugly'. Most of the South Indians are really bothered about color and go to any extent to obtain fair skin. I would like to tell of those fair-skin-frenzy people one thing. Dark is Divine. Dark is Naturality. Not all fair-skinned people are beautiful. All the Gods too are dark skinned. Lord Krishna who is loved by one and all, too, has a dark complexion. Many great achievers too are swarthy textured. Please understand this, fairness lovers, - DARK IS ELEGANCE.

Many a times, it so happens that dark-hued people go into a shell of self-pity and curse themselves as to why they are not fair because lots of times in school, they are color-shamed. Although mostly it is done out of innocence, sometimes, such minor incidents cause a deep psychological impact on the child. The child feels cornered and fit for nothing. Also, few parents of dark-skinned people are against their kids venturing out in the sun because they are scared that they would lose the skin color they already have. They ask their children to apply each and everything on their face, so as to get glow because they feel dark-skinned people have less respect in the society. Also, the habit of teasing dark-skinned kids is developed at a very young age in those kids who bully.

When these children grow up, they unknowingly turn into racists and the habits they learn at a tender age becomes a bad practice. If dusky skinned people don't come out of the barricades they have made for themselves, they will be very easily stamped in the society. This is all just a matter of time. But if the same kid through emotional support plunges out of his sadness, he will make a big difference in the society and will not allow others to undergo what he had to face. Remember, a child's mind is like sponge; whatever good or bad he/she learns is forever absorbed in that stage. So, a child must always learn good things so that when he grows up he can be the catalyst of change in the society.

So, on account of Nelson Mandela's birthday- the apostle of love who achieved political emancipation for his country from apartheid through his actions and changed millions of lives diametrically- on the 18th of July, let us show that WE CARE! Let us all accept each other's differences and not deprive anyone of their rights. Let us put in our sincere efforts to stop R.A.C.I.S.M- a process that REDUCES AND CRUMPLES your IDENTITY and SELF-CONFIDENCE to the MAXIMUM. Let us embrace inner beauty and stop supporting discriminatory advertisements. Let us all- the youth of today, bring in awareness among people that even though blacks and whites have different skin color, all of them have the same blood running within. All of them are sons and daughters of Mother Earth- the mother who is never partial towards anyone. Let us all leave behind bygones and work towards building a rational society that welcomes differences among people and considers everyone the same with out any bias.

                                                    
  - Anusha Sridhar

A Tribute

Some debts can never be repaid,

To those who always come to our aid.

You have taught us, that any circumstance we face,

Must be handled with tactfulness and grace.

You made us understand that people can’t be brought together by force,

Affection, goodwill and warmth are the only ways to reinforce.

You have stood with us as a rock pillar of support,

And educated us not to leave something midway and abort.

You have edified us that participation is more salient than a win,

And made us realize the repercussion of a sin.

You have shaped this motley of tiny-tots,

And have always put your foot forward in removing our blots.

You have recognized the true talent within each one of us,

With your enigmatic smile, you cherished our childish fuss.

You have always strived to push us to the top,

And have cajoled, convinced us when our plans became a flop.

You gave us a shoulder to lean on and a hand to clutch,

You made us forget our worries with your magical touch.

It is because of you we got name, fame and accolades,

You were the one who made us the master of all trades.

Under your shadow, no catastrophe could come to our vicinity,

For you, we always have a special affinity.

You are more like our mother and we are your little ones,

We promise you that in the game of life, we will score many runs.

You are the alleviator of our darkness; you are our Guru,

We are proud that under your guardianship we grew.

You have transformed us into fine gems,

And have made tall trees out of these thin stems.

We vow that with our conduct, we will make you proud,

We wish you a Happy Guru Purnima with our heads bowed!!

                       - Anusha Sridhar

Generation Gap

On one of the weekends, I was eagerly waiting for my grandparents to come home. They came around 12 noon and after freshening up; we sat indolently on the couch and stretched ourselves. At first, we had an intense discussion about what we did during the lockdown and suddenly, the topic became very heated. We were having an extensive conversation about the differences in behaviors of iGen, Millineals, Generation X, Baby Boomers and Traditionalists (Note: These five generations are classified in accordance with five age groups ranging from 1945 and below till the present date). My grandfather commented, "During those days we always used to follow whatever our elders told us. We never raised a finger against whatsoever they said and were very obedient. Yet, times change and so did people. The gap across the lineage has engendered many new qualities and feelings within individuals, which during our horse-and-buggy-days was totally inconceivable. It is such an irony to imagine that during our good old days, a house had only a landline; and as times have evolved, each person has his own phone and isn't dependent on anyone to speak to whomever he wants. That is the effect of the generation gap."

I could relate to whatever he said as the same situation is prevailing today. But this raised a big question in my mind. Is this gap in thoughts and differences in approach good? Before I could proceed to the answer, I first decided to find out what exactly is 'generation gap.'

I may be wrong, but what I understood of this two-word phrase is that it (gen gap) is not just having an age difference between two groups. This explanation is feasible just for the superficial level, and is not- if we want to know its deep-rooted meaning. Generational divide-in the first place-occurs due to drastic transition in the circumstances one faces and our perceptions about it. Now, people have become broad-minded and are easily able to adapt to the harshest of situations which wasn't that simple before. It is the sophistication of lifestyle and luxuriating in ostentatiousness. Presently, at the snap of our finger, what we desire lies on our feet if we throw away lumps of money. All this during those days was totally staggering and would cost one a lifetime to attain that state.

Over generations, many things have transformed. Let it be the way we speak, rational thinking, ardentness to gain knowledge and the adroitness displayed to solve nerve-racking situations; each and every minute quality has been affected. What is so surprising here is that the things that were once considered erroneous, are now being accepted in the society. For instance, during the early 1950's, a woman's role was bound to only serving one's family and heed to her husband's orders. She wasn't allowed to step out of her house at untime and if she did so, her chastity was suspected. A woman slogged very badly the whole day and was treated very dreadfully. But now down the generation, people have become liberal and have accepted the position of a woman and discrimination (to an extent) has reduced. She is unconfined to any barriers and is able to constantly progress without any hassle in the path that is suitable for her. She is able to live independently and choose the life of her choice. Also, there has been a big breakthrough in the field of automobiles and telly. Owning a car during those days was considered a luxury, but now it is very common among urban households. Similarly, possessing a TV was considered opulence during the times of yore and very few people had the serendipity of having it in their homes.

 As you all have heard the saying, 'where there is day there assuredly is night'; likewise, wherever there are affirmatives there surely will be something negative. It may have slipped our eye, but it does cease to exist. This is true in this inter-generational gap too. Although it may have positive connotations like technological advancement, open-minded outlook, astute reasoning, encyclopedic memory, increase in opportunities of work and many more; but this one aspect of its impact weighs more than these good things on the weighing scale. By now you might have guessed it, I am talking about cultural influence.

You may ask me why do I call it an 'effect'. The reason is really simple. During olden days, we only knew very few places and had the news of only those areas on our fingertips. Our world was limited to minimal things and we never thought beyond. But as time passed, there was a global technological improvement and we started to surpass the obstacles and peep down at the vast ocean of different practices around the world. As our intellect started to expand, the scientific temperament within us started to blossom. We denied accepting anything blindly without facts. So, we decided to question everything and it in turn, became an idiosyncrasy. In the start, enquiring details was considered to be fine because we never dived into sensitive issues. But, once we start poking our nose into that too; it turns bad. There are fights in the family and contrast in opinions that sometimes even lead to breaking in relationships.

What is the aftermath then? We start speaking ill about our culture due to not getting satisfactory justifications. Just like how a hungry lion hunts for its prey, we search for answers. But, the depressing part here is that if we don't get solutions, we start mudslinging our values and then start aping the west. On being questioned for our choice, we say that it is comfort of their attire and their slang that is pulling our attention towards them. Worse, we even plan to leave the country and settle there due to the strong virtual image formed in our mind about the congenial life one can have there. We become reasons for brain-drain in our own country-our motherland and start feeling proud to call ourselves citizens of the west. But, always be mindful of the fact that a donkey can never become a horse just by its assumption i.e. the truth never changes if we accept or don't accept it. Considering ourselves more inclined to the west doesn't change our recognition. A tree can only shed leaves, but it can never remain barren forever.

There are two points to note here. Number one, we must know that even the smallest of seed can grow into the largest of tree. It takes a lot of effort to chop the colossal tree with its roots, but is simple to pull a plant out from the grounds' depths. Sowing a seed of hatred towards one's identity is very easy. If not plucked out at the right time, it would prove to be really disastrous. Number two, this situation is really ironical if looked at a slightly different standpoint. What I mean to say is that, we follow the same west that bows down to our culture and values and salutes our undefiled heritage. At this juncture, the types of people split into two. One, are those, who realize their mistake, apologize and start feeling proud about their association and belonging to such a glorious legacy. Two, are those, who remain steadfast in their judgment and do not change their ways of thinking.

At this point, I would like to give a few examples to prove the fact that our ancestors never told anything without any reason. For example, it is believed that if lemon along with seven chillies is hanged outside the doors of homes or shops, it will prevent the bad energies from entering inside. There is an explanation for this. The cotton thread that passes through the lemon and chillies absorbs the acids, vitamin C and other nutrients present in it. Then by slow vaporization it is released into the air. This is said to have health benefits. Also, it is believed that one mustn't sleep with one's head facing the north. This is because, if done so, there are chances to have harmful effects related to blood pressure and other diseases that asymmetry with Earth's magnetic field would cause.

Sadly, over the years, only the rule got propagated, not the reasoning, due to which rituals became more and more esoteric. We all must understand that digging will only give us artifacts. Similarly, going deeper into some subjects will only give us answers. If we don't find remedies, it means that we haven't put in our complete attention in probing deeper and are incapable in discerning the query. Like how every lock has a key, always remember, every problem has a solution. The problem is our inability to find it. 

Now coming back to the question I raised in the start. Is gap in thoughts good?  Are variations in approach advisable? Well, my answer for this is a confident 'YES', but not a wholehearted one. If differences are cross-cutting, they can easily be accommodated and hitches can be suppressed. But, if these differences turn into overlapping ones, it would be really hard to sort it out. Dissimilarities are fine in the former case, but not in the latter case. Coming to the first question-gap in thoughts is adequate if it remains in its limits. I mean to say, if we listen to the other person's perspective on the same issue, combine both the goods and come out with a common solution, it is acceptable. As long as we are not autocratic, gap in thoughts is fine because we are in a balanced state to listen to the other person's point too without showing any superiority or haughtiness. As long as we don't cross our curbs, everything is fair enough.

The difference in contemplation between different generations is a very beautiful feeling. We have to admire and feel it. Not in every family we get to see this generational conflict. One must look at the brighter side and consider oneself lucky to be able to witness arrows of each other's theoretical thoughts and their bantered words. One thing to note here, as long as you never offend someone or try to prove them wrong, it is a friendly exchange of ideas. The relationship gets stronger if we learn the goods from our antecedents, question our beliefs-but know that we mustn't go astray, and ask with your head bowed low. Never value your ego more than your relationships. Accept something if you are wrong. Teach your elders if they miss something. But DON'T let that pride dance on your head.

So, let us all embrace this generational juxtaposition with open arms and light lamps of knowledge about its significance in the ignorant minds of today. Let us fall on the feet of people elder than us for worldly experience. Let us show to the world that generation gap doesn't refer to generational differences. Let us all register the fact that generations are divided ONLY by the thread of thought processes and NOT by their values.

                                                                                           - Anusha Sridhar

Finding Answers

On a very busy Monday morning during the first week of lockdown, my mom was eagerly waiting for the clock to strike 9 a.m. I was perplexed, because I didn't have even the slightest idea as to what was going on. I gathered some courage and asked her ''Amma, what are you yearning so much for?'' For this she replied,''I am waiting for the re-telecast of the first episode of Ramayan." I asked her again,"What is so special in it?" for which she said, "History can only be created once. This serial has made it." The clock chimed at nine and she made me sit to watch Ramayan. I found it good and was amazed by the way the indigenous language was spoken with complete fluency.

The same day another incident occurred. My friends had scheduled a WhatsApp video call at 7 p.m in the evening. This date was chosen only after a complete analysis of free time of everyone. But, few of my friends didn't attend saying that it was the second episode of Mahabharat-the old one-at 7 p.m with the first episode at 12 p.m. I had asked them if a serial was more important than a conversation with friends for which they replied, "It is said that beauty lies in the eyes of the beholder. But, everyone who watched or will watch this showpiece will surely admire its beauty."

My mind started ebbing with a series of questions. Why do people love these serials so much? Why do they consider watching TV more important than their work? Why do they even forget what they have to do if it is 9 a.m, 12 p.m, 7 p.m, 9 p.m? I decided to find the answers for these questions and began searching on the laptop. My mom looking at my interest towards this told me, "People say life always comes a full circle. I never believed it. But now, I feel it is true. When both these serials were aired for the first time, the roads were deserted. Now when the curfew is implemented, the serials are re-aired. What an irony!" she said. Hearing this, I immediately plunged into the BARC data and found that 1.5 billion and 1.9 billion people watched Mahabharat and Ramayan respectively in the first week. Also, the usage of smartphones has increased and people are glued to their screens to watch any missed episode. My mom added, "During those days, when Ramayan was aired, people broke coconuts, agarbattis were lit and were kept near the TV. People all gathered at a place to watch the serial and this established a thick bond between them."

The weeks passed by and Doordarshsan continued to top the TRP charts. DD dethroned everyone to be crowned as the most viewed channel. There was no looking back. DD started airing all its old classics and people started giving it more and more viewership. This served as a testimony for the veracity of the quote 'The journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step.' Meanwhile, I started examining the reasons for the sky-rocketing popularity of these serials and came to a conclusion that during those days there was only one channel and everyone watched whatever used to be aired during that specific slot. The people who were tiny-tots then have now become adults and have kids. So, every 90's child wants their kids to watch those serials. Also, there was a dramatic increase in the population and every house has a TV now. That is the reason for its massive success.

The artists rose to unfathomable stardom and the serials achieved cult status. They[the actors] weren't recognized by their name, but by the roles they played. Actors were worshiped as real gods. Their cards turned and they got a big break in their careers. When I was reading a few reviews on net, one of them had written, "We are forever indebted to B.R Chopra sir and Ramanand Sagar sir for creating such a magnum opus. We have never seen God, but whenever we close our eyes, the image of Arun Govil sir and Nitish Bharadwaj sir as Lord Ram and Lord Krishna respectively come to our eyes. The recreations are just paintings; yours are masterpieces with every stroke an embodiment of perfection."

I found the statement very true as the sets were grandiloquent and the directors were precocious and had a vision in their mind. They spent lavish money and conducted many screen tests to finalize an actor for a character. That's why even today, thirty-three years later, all the images are fresh and are imprinted in our minds. Whenever we listen to ''Atha Shree Mahabharat Katha" or "Mangal Bhavan Amangal Hari" a twinge of reminiscence passes through our skin and our hair stands erect. These songs never become old and are forever engraved in our minds.

When we think of Mahabharat, the pictures that come to our mind is of the malevolent Shakuni, the demeanor of hefty Duryodhan essayed by Puneet Isaar who did complete justice to the role, Dhritarashtra's filial love towards his son, Bhishma's gallantry, Karna's ardour for war, forbearence of Yudhistira essayed by Gajendra Chauhan excellently, the pristine dialogue delivery of Arjun aka Firoz Khan-and the bond between him and the paramount Lord Krishna, the Godhead's charismatic smile, on-screen persona, deferent and munificent conduct and the cute countenance when he speaks with family has won everyone's hearts and none other than Nitish Bharadwaj could be imagined for the role. Draupadi's enthralling beauty, fiery anger and conjugal loyalty-all of this was beautifully portrayed by Roopa Ganguly. The list of talented artists in this epic is unending and none can be pigeon-holed, but I am limiting myself to this only for now.

Speaking of Ramayan, it is another great quintessence of morals. Lord Ram was a paragon which was essayed by Arun Govil with utmost sincerity. Devi Sita, through her actions, rose to the zenith and made all the women walk with confidence and their head held high. This role was depicted by Deepika Chikhila, who brought life to all the intricate conversations. The role of Lakshman-the angry young man and his caprices was beautifully characterized by Sunil Lahri. Bharat was enamored of Lord Ram, Hanuman's staunch devotedness, Vibhishan's concern for the state, Sugriv's unflinching loyalty and the stiff-necked Ravan- demonstrated by Aravind Trivedi who made a chill pass down our spines with such ease is totally commendable.

Both the serials are an amalgamation of unity, hardwork and dedication towards one's work. It is said, if one keeps one's feet on the ground and eyes towards the stars, triumph will fall on your feet. This proved the accuracy of the quote.

Although both the serials have many things in common, there is one mammoth difference. The story of Ramayan is slow-paced and that of Mahabharat is fast-paced. The latter has a backstory for every happening and every character has its own significance. Even though the former is measured and unhurried, it covered all the aspects without leaving anything. Both the serials have songs in accordance with the situation that convey the emotions in a more deeper way. They also have different couplets in the end or in between every episode that are rhyming, short but very profound. These songs and laconic couplets succinctly give a very good value for us to imbibe. Mahabharat was narrated by 'Samay'[time] and even though the serial had a stellar cast, it was acknowledged for the intense dialogues in every scene.

The response of the re-telecast was so much that the last episode of Ramayan was watched by 7.7 crore people across the globe and it even defeated American biggies. Mahabharat's finale a week later was watched by 22.9 million people and the channel came first in the TRP rankings. The effect was so much that channels of Star Pus and Colors started airing Ramayan and Mahabharat once again.

In the start I thought that both the serials were watched by so many people because they just wanted their kids to watch it and they could revive their childhood days. But later on I understood it was the love of people towards the characters which is making them watch the repeat telecast of both the serials on Colors and Star Plus thus giving both the first position in the TRP ratings.

The influence of both these serials was so much on me that I became an ardent follower of mythological and history serials and started watching all old serials of that genre. Now I can answer any question of the folklores and can pass on this knowledge to anyone who asks me.

I consider myself among those lucky people who got a chance to witness this saga unfold in front of their eyes. I thank both the directors for opening a new ocean of inquisitivity towards exploring our culture. Thank you for making me even more devotionally inclined. During this extensive search of mine, I learnt an important thing. Always stay connected to your roots. Be the tallest tree, but have your legs firm on the ground. Never forget your culture, it is your identity.

It is said that the smallest of acts only make the deepest of changes. The trivial occurrence that took place between my mom and myself lit up a dense fire in the inner chambers of my heart-kindling new desires within me, thus transforming me into a reformed person. Imagine, if one minor happening could make a remarkable impact, then every such happening could make how huge of an affect if we ponder. Do not sit idle. Always be on the verge of learning something or the other. Start looking at different viewpoints, expand your memory and keep noting down such incidents of experiential learning just like how I did! You will realize what a big difference this has made to you in terms of your personality and writing style.

ALWAYS BE READY TO JUMP INTO ACTION FOLKS!!

Until then, this is me signing off from you with a promise to come back harder and stronger even though it takes time!!

                                                                                - Anusha Sridhar

God- Myth or Reality

Not all the mysteries of nature can be understood by using the greatest of sciences. There is something beyond human reach and that is the power of the divine cosmos. There is an answer to how humans have transformed over the years but there is no answer to this question as to how the first creatures have originated on earth. This by itself proves the existence of God.

When it comes to the case of existence of God, it is a really complicated one as some believe that God has a form and others believe that He has been created by business tycoons just for the sake of minting money.

If the former has to be considered, there is again a conflict as to which God to worship out of the hundred thousand Gods in the scriptures, which God to believe and connect with.

First of all, there must be a basic understanding that God is not the idol that you worship. It is the divine power. One must know that God shouldn't be idolized in one's mind, but picturized in one's heart. When the perspective about worship of God changes, then there is automatically a change in one's life and one gets clarity as to how to move forward in life.

So, I would like to emphasize that God is very considerate towards his devotees and this has been made into a myth in the minds of people by instilling fear towards Him and taking them far away from reality.