It was fun roaming around in Chennai with friends from Germany and Australia, whose skin colour was different from mine. To my surprise, within India, all of a sudden I was getting a different type of treatment from fellow Indians, which I was experiencing for the first time.
One day we were all getting into the same taxi, suddenly the security guard stopped me and asked me alone whether I am also staying with them. On another occassion I saw a beggar and while I was reaching out to my purse to get some change, the beggar started chasing my friend Thomas, expecting dollars !. Last but not the least was when the dinner was served 90 minutes later than the desired time; the excuse being "We were busy making food for others!".
While these things were happening on one end, my friends were embarassed by the special VIP treatment meted out to them where ever they go. When all the Indian nationals are waiting in the immigration que at the airport, these friends were asked to by pass the que, by the officials. In the airline, they were given free upgrade to the business class....and obviously they were quite suprised and embarassed.
I recollect my brother Paul narrating another incident where his doctor friend (an Indian living in America), came to India (Kerala), heading a delegation of american doctors and to his and others surprise people were only talking and taking advice from his juniors, ignoring him !.
When will India and Indians get real freedom? !
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