We all know that whether we like it or not, India as a country is divided on the lines of colour, religion, caste and gender. With the advent of globalization and the concentration of money in the hands of a few, we are now divided on the lines of wealth as well. But the two things that stand out the most are discrimination by colour and social standing. Over the years, we’ve come to accept that people with fair skin and loads of money are better than others.

“Skin color is not an issue here unlike India. Americans think that brown skin is hotter.”

I was a little jolted. Not only was I being racist towards my own people, I was also presuming that Americans were racist as well.

I realized I had a mental block when I went on a camping trip to a music festival in Nelson Ledges, a remote place in the state of Ohio with my sister’s boyfriend, Tim.