Onions:
Peeling onions for the Indian woman over the last week till date has been more than a tear-jerker. Navratras embody a fervent devotion to the Goddess by sacrificing food and the onion with its patent products. How much more can a woman sacrifice especially if the fasting period succeeds sacrificing money to buy onions. Tear ducts are meant to vent emotions, now emotions have become money-worthy so sob sob (not the abuse) Alas where is the money that can fetch onions easily?
A conjecture at this point: limit onion production (farming) only to Nashik is a sickly thought. Peels of onion instead of filling the garbage bin will now be strewn on the dining table to make food edible with aroma. Diwali gifts can be substituted with onion for'dry fruits'and 'sweets'. Marriage season can demand a ransom of onions for marriage feasts. Oh the 'stinking' onion was never revered so much.
Slavery:
Slavery was recently highlighted by a foreign (American) agency as more rampant in India, China and Pakistan.This sums up the saying 'imitation is the best form of flattery' applies to Asian nations . Countries like Britain, France and the Netherlands do plan 'reparation' for their past sins of misusing HR as slaves. The reparation can take any form, discounted medical aid, waiving loans, offer lucrative business opportunities, free education, etc. A well-known paper quotes an incident during the late 18th century of a ship ferrying slaves, faced potable water shortage resulting in the death of slaves. Insurance compensation for the dead slaves can be claimed as "lost cargo". Again, we can rivet to the atrocities on man can be so matter-of-fact.
P.S. Remember my teacher (S. Africa-returned years ago), an expatriate offering juice to us (a few of her students) on a tray fixed to a plywood cutout of a 'black' boy.We did 'gulp" the juice with glee as the boy (cutout) was grinning to show his 'shiny' teeth. Nice idea to rid off racism!