Brown Man's burden

When the world was fighting with a pandemic like Covid19 , the white man didn't take up the burden any more to provide with an ointment to the ones they claim to have civilized. Well, civilized and left to die. White man did develop a vaccine but it was of the cost unbearable to the third world inhabitants. See I am using your (white man's) terms to designate ourselves. Not very long ago, you were here to humanize the 'savage' , to spiritualize the immoral , to organize the unorderly and to make a man of the 'half child half evil'. 

All you took in return from us was just 3-4 million lives and some $45 trillion in today's worth. But that's okay, after all you gave us democracy and the train and yes our very favourite tea (this I genuinely thank you for). We spent a good time sipping tea together. Did we ? You might, but did I ? 

But a tea that costed $45 trillion ! ! ! Quite an expensive tea date it was.

Anyway with no hard feelings, we relieved you of any of your leftover burden on 26th, Jan 1950.

But then we took up a burden, a burden that we always carried but you were just too busy to acknowledge.

So, let me enlighten you. 

Unlike the Americas, India already had a proper culture, administration and value system. It was my (a brown man's) burden to teach you about mysticism of higher kind. I taught your materialized mind that there is a way of reaching the infinite and being one with it through Vedanta and Yoga. Brown men like Vivekananda filled the spiritual vacuum of your souls.

 I taught you the ancient science of Ayurveda. I taught you languages that enriched the vocabulary of almost all major European languages. I showed you how family lives together keeping collective interests higher than individual interests. But I  guess you have still not learned this thing.

 My roads were dirty but I didn't need bottled water. I taught you how to be content and peaceful. I fought for you in your wars , worked for you in your farms as a slave. This minimum wage thing didn't occur to you then.

 And the brown man is still working for you; in your companies, treating your patients, teaching your kids, running your administration and flying your planes. I always carried all this burden . This is the unseen burden of a brown man which you never acknowledge. I have given much more than I have taken from you. So, next time when you compose something like "White Man's Burden", just remember this brown man's blog. 

I don't envy your material progress. But I pity your spiritual hollowness that makes you so vulnerable even after inventing all the luxuries of life. If only you had taken me seriously ! But sooner or later you have to . You will because that's the only way out for you. I am always here to help, just in case you feel you need any. 

Till then , I wish you some good sleep. But when you wake up, remember that the sun rises in the east. 

For any assistance, Yours always,

A Brown Man.

©MANJUL JAGOTRA