Messy guest
Sir — Managing unruly guests can be a nightmare. The staff of Windsor Castle recently learned this first-hand while tending to the president of the United States of America, Donald Trump, who was on an official visit to Britain. Behind the ceremonial grandeur, the palace staff were reportedly horrified by the trail of chaos he left in his wake: discarded take-out boxes, tanning sprays and hair products scattered across rooms, bathrooms littered with bottles, sinks left stained, and bed sheets turned orange. The ordeal seemed to echo the sentiment, ‘Atithi tum kab jaoge?’ But, ironically, Britain was simply getting a taste of its own medicine. When the British arrived as ‘guests’ in India over 200 years ago, they too left behind a trail of mess.
Olivia Paul,
Hyderabad
Lessons forgotten
Sir — At least 41 people were killed in a stampede during a political rally in Tamil Nadu on Saturday. The incident has revealed lapses on the part of rally organisers. Stampedes are not uncommon in India. In fact, there have been several such incidents this year alone. Neither the government nor event organisers have learnt any lesson from past tragedies.
Jayanta Datta,
Hooghly
Sir — The stampede at a political rally in Karur claimed over 40 lives and left nearly 100 others injured. The tragedy has been attributed to poor planning and inadequate security arrangements. Previous rallies addressed by the actor, Vijay, had also witnessed severe overcrowding, making it imperative for the authorities
to exercise greater caution. The police should have ensured stronger security measures to prevent such a disaster in Karur.
N.R. Ramachandran,
Chennai
Sir — Attendees were forced to wait for hours with no food and water at the Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam rally, as the TVK president, Vijay, did not arrive at the scheduled time. The accusation that there were no proper security arrangements in place to check overcrowding cannot be overlooked. The tragic incident underscores the intersection of Tamil Nadu’s enduring movie fandom and its politics.
M. Jeyaram,
Sholavandan, Tamil Nadu
Sir — Painful memories of the stampede at the Royal Challengers Bengaluru’s victory parade which killed 11 people seemed to have been forgotten too soon. Our obsession with celebrities, whether actors or sportspeople, crosses all reasonable limits. Hero-worshipping is turning fatal. Stampedes are caused as much by the failure of organisers and administrations as by the general public who treat celebrities as gods.
Bal Govind,
Noida
Sir — Lessons have not been learnt from past stampedes. The Karur incident is a case in point. Lack of planning and safeguards, administrative lapses, and negligence on the part of the organisers and the police result in such tragedies. Vijay’s rallies have always been massive crowd-pullers. It is thus shocking that such an event was organised in a congested area.
Blame games have begun. Action is sure to follow with inquiries, suspension, a few arrests and prolonged legal clashes but there is no compensation for the precious lives that have been lost.
M. Pradyu,
Kannur
Major disapproval
Sir — At the United Nations General Assembly, the Israeli prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, delivered a defiant speech defending his campaign in Gaza (“UN delegates walk out but Bibi defiant”, Sept 27). Netanyahu vowed to finish the remnants of Hamas swiftly, claiming that Israeli intelligence has shielded Western countries from terrorism time and again. A Western effort to protect Gaza without empowering Hamas will be in everyone’s best interest.
R.S. Narula,
Patiala
Sir — The 80th UNGA session was rocked by mass walkouts by delegates in solidarity with the Palestinian cause and as a stern denunciation of Israel’s ruthless assault on Gaza. Yet Benjamin Netanyahu seems far from being pressured into ending the ongoing genocide in Gaza and is determined to push his devastating agenda.
The global snub against Netanyahu comes after allegedly productive talks between Israel and the United States of America regarding the conclusion of the war. The world should have condemned Israel’s barbarity long before and initiated stern action against it.
Aayman Anwar Ali,
Calcutta
Sir — Benjamin Netanyahu’s address at the UNGA can indeed be seen as “defiant”. Netanyahu, like any other authoritarian leader, seems to have sent a stern message that he will not take the West’s recognition of a Palestinian State lying
down.
S. Balakrishnan,
Jharkhand
Festival despatches
Sir — I have sincere admiration for the exceptional tribute to Sonar Kella by Ballygunge 71 Pally. The pandal’s theme, Guptodhoner Shondhane, is a fitting homage to the legendary Satyajit Ray and his unparalleled legacy. The transformation of the pandal into the mystic landscape of Rajasthan was truly awe-inspiring. Each element — from the detailed murals to the evocative recreations of the film’s iconic scenes — reflected profound artistic insight. Such initiatives do more than delight the eye.
Susanta Roy Chowdhury,
Calcutta
Sir — People offering pranam to the goddess, Durga, by standing in front of the idol and joining their hands has become a rare sight. These days, people are only interested in taking selfies during pandal hopping.
Sourish Misra,
Calcutta