Your Independence Day Special issue made my day (‘The republics of Bharat’, August 20). The hilarious vignettes about the idiosyncrasies of the states in India were absolute gems. Each brought out the outstanding features of a state, which was endearing.
When a person moves from one state to the other, it will not change his original identity—rather, it adds another colour to the persona. Your cover package, as a whole, was an eye-opener. Let me thank THE WEEK for such wonderful articles.
Goutam Sen,
On email.
Your cover story made for an informative read. Yes, India is the mother of democracy. If there is anything that is safe in the country it is democracy. No matter which party is in power at the Centre, democracy will never decline. And it is not like Narendra Modi will be always our prime minister.
It is only people with vested interests who blazon out that there is an attempt by the Union government to rewrite history books, or that democracy is not safe in India. That is not correct.
K.G. Praveen,
On email.
I did not know the Anubhava Mantapa, established in 12th century in Karnataka, is referred to as the first parliament of the world. Democracy took shape in India much before it found a home in countries like Greece. It was the British who pushed a narrative that India had nothing of its own, and hushed up the country’s achievements. The world, today, needs to acknowledge that India is the mother of democracy. No country should even make the mistake of preaching us democratic values.
Aparajitha Basu,
On email.
Nobody has ever described India’s ethos as eloquently as Jawaharlal Nehru in The Discovery of India. Said Nehru, “India is a cultural unity amidst diversity held together by strong but invisible threads.” India is home to several hundred languages. The clothes Indians wear and the food they eat differ from state to state. India’s eight classical dances have their own uniqueness.
India has maintained its unity despite 1,000 years of foreign rule. It is a matter of pride that no state has ever seceded from the Indian union.
Kangagam R. Narasimhan,
On email.
Continue with English names
I enjoyed the humorous take on some communities (‘Divided colours of united India’, August 20). It is true that our uniqueness lies in our contradictions. There are many who say a country as big and diverse as India is bound to have fissures at some point, but our diversity has always been recognised as a source of our strength.
I do not like the push by the Union government to make Hindi the country’s dominant language. All languages should flourish and language should never become a contentious issue. I am a Telugu, and it is almost impossible for me to pronounce Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita and Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita. Why can’t we continue with English names?
Meera Prasad,
On email.
No booze-land this
Kerala’s love affair with alcohol is exaggerated (‘God’s own brandy’, August 20). In fact, people in other states consume more liquor than us, Malayalis.
I suspect it is the teetotallers in Kerala who are behind the campaign of labelling the state as the liquor capital of the country. I don’t know what pleasure they derive out of it. There are many Muslims, Hindus and Christians in Kerala who are teetotallers and they take pride in that. Likewise, we also take pride while enjoying an occasional drink. Why restrict us? You see, we [in Kerala] have civilised drinking habits and we don’t mess it up even when we are sloshed.
So, here I am, with a glass of brandy, silently protesting the labelling of Kerala as a den of tipplers. Cheers, India.
Haridas Kunhikrishnan,
On email.
Shinde’s mistake?
Your report said Ajit Pawar, who has been given the coveted finance portfolio once again, is trying to make peace with fellow legislators of the ruling coalition by sanctioning funds worth hundreds of crores of rupees (‘In a fix’, August 20). I suddenly remembered the famous dialogue from Bollywood film Sholay—ek galati ki thanedar saab, hame tijori kholkar dikhai [You made a mistake, sir, and showed us an open vault].
Rajendra Parakhi,
On email.
Dance and Bollywood
Prabhu Deva and Govinda are the best dancers Bollywood has seen (‘Chic magnet’, August 20). They are closely followed by Hrithik Roshan, Tiger Shroff and Ranveer Singh.
Aamir Khan is a good actor, but he does not know to dance well. Shah Rukh Khan is also not a great dancer. Among the female actors, I feel Karisma Kapoor is a great dancer, and so is Madhuri Dixit. With fewer songs these days, dancing skills are no longer a yardstick to judge Bollywood actors.
Yash Nagpal,
On email.
Memorable piece
Bhanu Prakash Chandra completed an extremely challenging coverage that we find rarely in print media (‘Sunflower fields and no man’s land’, August 13).
From frontiers to inside towns he has covered many rhythms of the Ukrainian life. Your coverage gave insights into the crazy war and it will be a memorable piece even after the war ends (I hope it ends soon).
O.P. Jha,
Delhi.
The indomitable spirit of Bhanu has left me inspired. His adaptability in braving the Ukrainian environment and his interactions with the Ukrainians spoke volumes about his resilience.
This experience serves as a valuable life lesson for me, urging me to surpass my limitations, explore the unexplored, reach the unreached, and conquer the unconquered.
Avin,
On email.