Colour

The bright sun beckoned me

To embrace me in all its glory.

I step out filled with glee

To play the game of kabaddi.

As I move around n turn back

What I hear is 'touch him not'...

Else you will also turn black

N thus a tight slap was shot.

Yes, Kabaddi is full of touching

But how does skin colour spread?

Differences doesn't call for bitching

One who thinks such...

       ....belong to what stead?

Raman was very excited as they had moved to a new place. Though initially, he was skeptical as he would miss his old colony friends. He was pepped up by his parents that new places will give a nice new beginning and one can always remain in touch with our old friends.

It was evening time and the beautiful weather tempted one and all kids to play. The lush green grass, the beautiful lawns in the society, the playground, basketball court, tennis court ensured that kids had a whale if time in the evenings.

Raman ran downstairs to the ground. He found some kids of his age playing

Kabaddi, a game he loved. He had already met a few of the kids there in the week he had come to the society.

He kinda knew few kids and the others were new to him.

Anyway, he was welcomed to the game and joined the fun game of kabaddi. As the game progressed, he was having fun enjoying himself. As he was playing, he suddenly heard someone say, "Don't touch him. You will also turn black!!!". What a shock he got when he saw it was some aunty who was observing them play. She was busy chitchatting with other women. He saw them all burst out laughing. He also saw that a boy, Amir who was of a fairer complexion suddenly leave his hand. And he along with one or two others were also smirking.

Amir and his friends stopped playing and were off to play their own game. Though surprised and shocked, Raman and the other boys continued playing.

The enormity of the happening didn't strike Raman much. Being of a jovial nature and always a happy child, he continued playing. 

But also being an innocent child, he went home and narrated the whole incident to his mother who was utterly dismayed. Raman asked his mother, "Amma, does skin colour get transferred from one person to another? Is it paint that it can spread around? What am I dark and not fair like Amir?"

Maybe it was the first time, Raman was made to feel conscious of his dark complexion. What effect this would have on the child's tender heart and mind was something the mother couldn't fanthom. 

Though shocked, she made herself strong enough to teach Raman to be mentally and emotionally strong and care a damn for all the nonsense hat people talk. 

She narrated him the story of Lord Krishna and told him of the Gods dark complexion. She explained that colour or external stuff is not important but how beautiful you are from inside is what matters. The greatest lesson she taught him was to accept himself as he was and made him a wonderful human being.