In Katihar, Bihar, a dark-skinned husband murdered his wife because her child was born fair.
In Katihar district of Bihar, a young man killed his wife just because the child born to them recently was fair in colour. Whereas the husband’s complexion is dark. Because of this, the husband started getting suspicious and three months after the birth of the child, he went to his in-laws’ house, killed his wife and ran away. Such things have been heard before not only in Bihar but also in different parts of the country.
People have a question in their minds that how did the husband and wife become black and the child become fair? Or how did a child of white parents become dark-skinned? Such thinking is just a result of lack of information and rumours. The reality is that the matter of color is completely genetic and scientific, and not anything else. Let us understand in simple words what is the complete science behind the birth of black and white children? How does this work?
1- How is skin color determined?
Melanin, a pigment i.e. a color-giving substance, is found in our body. If there is more melanin then the skin will be dark or black and if there is less then the skin can be light or fair. Our genes decide how much melanin will be produced. Consider genes as the blueprint of the body, like a map for building a house. Every human being has many genes related to color in his body. We get these genes from our parents. Half the genes come from the mother and half from the father.
Due to different combinations of these genes, the child may be fairer, darker or in between. That is, color is not determined by a single gene, but is determined by many genes together, hence the color of the child in the womb cannot be told with certainty in advance.
2- Can a black or dark-skinned husband and wife have a fair child?
The simple answer to this question is – Yes, it is absolutely possible. And this is completely scientifically proven and possible. Recessive genes play an important role in this. Suppose both husband and wife are dark in appearance, but they also have genes for light skin, which are not visible from outside. When a child is born in the womb, sometimes such a combination is formed that light colored genes combine to make the child’s skin fairer than that of the parents. There is also an influence of ancestors (genetic inheritance) in this.
The genes of our maternal grandparents, great-grandparents, great-grandparents, that is, the entire family, also continue in us. It is possible that there may have been many fair people in the family of the husband and wife in some previous generation. Their genes should still be present in their breed, which may suddenly be visible in a child. That is why it is often seen that a child is born who looks like grandparents, or the appearance is passed on to an older generation. People think that if both the parents are dark, then the child will also be equally or more dark. In fact, the child can sometimes be like the mother, sometimes like the father, sometimes in between, and sometimes like some old ancestor.
3- Can a dark or black child be born to white parents?
Yes, this is also completely possible. If there have been dark/black people in the family of white parents (in any generation), then their genes continue to be passed on. Sometimes the same genes can combine to make a child’s skin darker in the next generation. Apart from this, sun rays, climate, food habits etc. also gradually affect the complexion. So for the parents to assume that both of us are fair, how did their child become dark, there must be something wrong, scientifically it is a completely wrong thinking.
Science says that a fair child can be born even to dark parents.
4- What can DNA test prove?
If a husband has a lot of doubt, then today science has an accurate method like DNA test. This test tells whether the child is biologically that of the same man or not. Skin color is not a true proof of parentage. In many cases this fact has been proved by DNA test. Therefore, accusing the wife of her character on the basis of only black and white, or breaking the marriage, is against justice, science and humanity.
5- Misconceptions about color in Indian society
In our society, fair complexion has long been considered a sign of beauty and good family. Perhaps this is the reason why we often find a fair groom or a fair bride printed in marriage advertisements. Even in films and advertisements, heroes and heroines are often shown to be fair. Promotion of fairness creams is also common. Due to these reasons, a misconception is formed that fair means good, beautiful, capable and black, dark means inferior, worthy of doubt. This thinking often becomes the root of incidents like Katihar, where when the child turned out to be fair, the husband suspected that the wife might have cheated. Actually, color has nothing to do with character, nor with honesty, nor with ability. This is only the external structure of the body, which is determined by genes and nature.
6- It is important for the common man to understand
There is no need to doubt if a white child is born to a black husband and wife. This is completely scientific. It is possible that the child may have been passed on to a white grandparent, or the hidden light-skinned genes of both may have been combined. On the contrary, it is normal if there is a fair husband and wife and a dark child is born. Genes from ancestors may come forward. It is wrong to point fingers at someone’s character only on the basis of color. Doing this is not only against science, but is also a big social injustice. This has a negative impact on the woman’s honour, mental health and the entire family and even the society. If needed, take help of science.
Also read: From where were the girls brought into the Mughal harem, how did they get entry?