Its Tan, its White... It's tough to be.... (yeah,yeah,yeah)

Turn on any Indian TV channel and all you get is 'Fair skin in 14 days and get noticed'

Being in Australia for the last five years I've realised that the minute the Sun comes out, you know everyone's headed to the beach to get a tan or come summer, everyone's going to get a spray tan or heading to a tanning salon.

Growing up in an Indian family, I immediately learned that OD-ing on Milk and Yogurt would be good for me. I was born dark, and lived in Dubai (not quite the concrete jungle it is today) and it was Hot for probably 87 % of the year. I played sport, so being tanned was something I couldn't avoid.

My eldest Chachi (aunt) kept taunting my mum of how dark I was and kept telling me "Agar to itna dhoop mein jayegi toh koi tere se shaadi nahi karega".. translates to " If you go under the Sun so much[and get dark] no one will marry you". Like I cared. I was 7 years old. 

My mum tried her level best to make me fair. Home remedies with milk et all . Nothing worked. I still went out and played in the sun. 

And, I didn't even look like her daughter; being Indian, she was so fair it was unbelievable.

Anyways, I'm now married and have two kids. 

I don't use fairness creams or visit tanning salons. 

I still go under the Sun with SPF of course.

And now when I go back to visit family, the same aunt says to me " Arrey!!! tu kitni Gori ho gayee hain Australia mein reh ke"= " WOW!!! Living in Australia, you've become so fair"

Sigh!

Love yourself for how you are.