ABSTRACT
Drawing upon ancient Hindu texts and historical narratives surrounding colonialism and the market itself, this chapter identifies a range of complimenting and perpetuated narratives surrounding Indian women and skin color. By analyzing data collected from 27 informants, it shows how Indian women are inherently locked into a societal system where skin color narratives, formed over millennia, as manifest through forgotten historical and religious narratives, restrict and enforce the illusion that Indian beauty equates to pale skin.
