The Face Of India

For centuries, the Indian ideal of beauty has been a static, unchanging identity. A generation of women are agitating that homogenous idea of feminine beauty, one stunning face at a time. Were putting a spotlight on the women who represent the breathtaking diversity of our nation.

- Parizaad Khan Sethi

Homogeneity has never been a way of life in India. Our existence and worldview have been shaped by multiple religious, social, political and cultural influences that, for the most part, have co-existed symbiotically. However, the one aspect in which we’ve so far nurtured a blinkered point of view is when it comes to our norms of beauty. Female (and even male) beauty has been herded into a narrow alley with not much room to manoeuvre, despite the genetic diversity modern India has inherited.

From a historical context, this makes perfect sense. India has seen huge influxes and movements of populations over centuries—invading forces left their own mark on art and culture and shaped world views according to their mores. Since beauty ideals are influenced by the more prestigious or dominant culture, it’s no surprise that in ancient India, the fair skin of the Aryans, and later that of Europeans, was seen as superior, and has endured as the prototype we aspire to even in modern times.

Even in today’s more globalised world, we often look Westward to reinforce our definitions and ideals of beauty. The popularity of the Kardashian empire proves we’re very susceptible to Western suggestions of what is beautiful. We end up reinforcing our belief of a Eurocentric ideal, and ironically, a centuries-old cycle keeps perpetuating itself.