# Obsession Of Skin Colour In Punjabi/sikh



## Jasdeep118 (Sep 15, 2017)

I tend to notice that us Punjabi's or Punjabi Sikhs tend to get obsessed with color like being obsessed with whiteness. It tends to contradict what our Guru Granth says that everyone is equal regardless with skin color, caste, etc, but I realized its prominent. I had some people telling me if I was a Guju (Gujurati),which hurts me since I am a Punjabi Sikh then I remember one time back in grade 9 I got called a chamar even though I am a Jatt Sikh, but I don't believe in caste, but due to this I feel I am obsessed with my skin color putting skin creams and all that. Most of this comes from Punjabi People who are also Sikhs. Most people think of Punjabi people of being aryans, with fair skin, but there are few Sikhs who are dark. I mean I am brown, but it really hurts me a lot, and sometimes I have feelings that I shouldn't be a Sikh due to my skin color, what do I do? I mean I have feelings that I am a curse or burden due to my skin color, and I realise that all photos I saw of the Mughals in those Sikh Portraits are black. Which gives me more anxiety since I think they think of darker skinned people of being evil. This results in me wanting to get married with a gora, or a person with light skinned so I can get rid of this curse. What do I do?


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## Tejwant Singh (Sep 15, 2017)

Jasdeep118 said:


> I tend to notice that us Punjabi's or Punjabi Sikhs tend to get obsessed with color like being obsessed with whiteness. It tends to contradict what our Guru Granth says that everyone is equal regardless with skin color, caste, etc, but I realized its prominent. I had some people telling me if I was a Guju (Gujurati),which hurts me since I am a Punjabi Sikh then I remember one time back in grade 9 I got called a chamar even though I am a Jatt Sikh, but I don't believe in caste, but due to this I feel I am obsessed with my skin color putting skin creams and all that. Most of this comes from Punjabi People who are also Sikhs. Most people think of Punjabi people of being aryans, with fair skin, but there are few Sikhs who are dark. I mean I am brown, but it really hurts me a lot, and sometimes I have feelings that I shouldn't be a Sikh due to my skin color, what do I do? I mean I have feelings that I am a curse or burden due to my skin color, and I realise that all photos I saw of the Mughals in those Sikh Portraits are black. Which gives me more anxiety since I think they think of darker skinned people of being evil. This results in me wanting to get married with a gora, or a person with light skinned so I can get rid of this curse. What do I do?



Jasdeep ji,

Guru Fateh.

Thanks for your candour.

Although beauty is only skin deep, its hue is of utmost importance, sad to say in our Punjabiyat. It is not only for us brownies but this phenomenon is all over except in Brasil where I spent some years. I remember when I went back to India after having lived in Brasil and UK for 15 years in 1985, I was well tanned (in my view) but was quite dark for my own family. Spending weekends on the beach is mode de vie there.

Your skin colour is not of your choosing. When one opens the matrimonial section in the Sunday edition of any Indian newspaper, it is must for the hue to be displayed shamelessly. 
Bleach is one of the best-selling products in northern India because of the hue phobia.
I am sure the  Dravidians down south do not even think about it. This is our self-created hue-ism.

As mentioned, this bias is all over. Abercrombie & Fitch, the famous retailer in the US was sued for not hiring people of colour.

If we practised Sikhi the way our visionary Gurus taught us to do, then we would look beyond hue, creed, faith, no faith and sexual orientation. We would not look at anyone with the jaundiced  eye.

Thanks for bringing this subtly hidden topic up in an open manner.

Regards

Tejwant Singh


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## Sikhilove (Sep 19, 2017)

Jasdeep118 said:


> I tend to notice that us Punjabi's or Punjabi Sikhs tend to get obsessed with color like being obsessed with whiteness. It tends to contradict what our Guru Granth says that everyone is equal regardless with skin color, caste, etc, but I realized its prominent. I had some people telling me if I was a Guju (Gujurati),which hurts me since I am a Punjabi Sikh then I remember one time back in grade 9 I got called a chamar even though I am a Jatt Sikh, but I don't believe in caste, but due to this I feel I am obsessed with my skin color putting skin creams and all that. Most of this comes from Punjabi People who are also Sikhs. Most people think of Punjabi people of being aryans, with fair skin, but there are few Sikhs who are dark. I mean I am brown, but it really hurts me a lot, and sometimes I have feelings that I shouldn't be a Sikh due to my skin color, what do I do? I mean I have feelings that I am a curse or burden due to my skin color, and I realise that all photos I saw of the Mughals in those Sikh Portraits are black. Which gives me more anxiety since I think they think of darker skinned people of being evil. This results in me wanting to get married with a gora, or a person with light skinned so I can get rid of this curse. What do I do?



What a ridiculous thing to say. God blessed u with a body, and blessings to see, hear, eat, dance. 

What disrespect to yourself and hence your Creator. 

Hes beyond colour caste and creed, rid your mind of Maya rubbish.


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## unhappyinvidious (Oct 15, 2017)

Good discussion! I agree that skin colour obsession in punjabi can be observed.


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