Canine passion
Sir — Strongest feelings arise from shared passions. Those tired of swiping right on dating apps and not finding a like-minded partner may be compelled to try the new dating app, Frolly, which connects people based on their shared love for dogs. That dogs bring joy to most people and can make dating fun again constitute the rationale behind Frolly. While canines may be the reason for love in the United States of America, they have disrupted marital bliss between a couple in the other part of the world. A man recently moved the Gujarat High Court seeking a divorce from his wife because of her love for strays. The petitioner alleged that he was forced to cook and clean for the dogs that his wife forcibly brought home. Clearly, a dog can be a man’s best friend and his worst.
Sayantan Sikdar,
Pune
Shameful loss
Sir — The frailty of Indian batters against high-quality spin in challenging home conditions was exposed, yet again, as South Africa outplayed India by 30 runs in the opening Test in Calcutta on Sunday (“India’s face-on-egg day”, Nov 17). Chasing a target of 124, India never showed the composure of Temba Bavuma, the Proteas’s captain, and were bowled out for 93. On an underprepared pitch expected to favour Ravindra Jadeja, Axar Patel and Kuldeep Yadav, it was the match haul of eight wickets by the off-spinner, Simon Harmer, that made the difference. It was India’s fourth loss in the last six Tests at home. The loss should reignite the debate on Indian batsmen’s ability on turning tracks. But what will rankle India more than the defeat is that their own spin blueprint backfired.
Khokan Das,
Calcutta
Sir — The ‘tigers at home’ are gradually turning into paper tigers. The team management’s request for a spin-friendly pitch at the Eden Gardens against South Africa, following India’s whitewash against New Zealand, was suicidal. One requires to have soft hands, good wrist movement and a mild temperament to play well against spinners but thanks to the advent of Twenty20, those skills seem to have evaporated from our batsmen’s arsenal.
Bal Govind,
Noida
Sir — The shocking defeat of India at the hands of South Africa at the Eden Gardens raises many questions. Despite the absence of the captain, Shubman Gill, the target set by the Proteas was easy enough to chase. Yet our current lot of batsmen were unable to tackle spinners such as Simon Harmer.
This defeat is reminiscent of India’s loss against the West Indies at Barbados in 1997 where they were unable to chase 120, getting bowled out for 81 to lose the Test by 38 runs. The prevalence of limited-overs cricket has taken a toll on India’s basic batting techniques. The Board of Control for Cricket in India should maintain a balance between Test and T20 matches.
Atul Krishna Srivastava,
Navi Mumbai
Sir — India’s loss to South Africa in the first Test at Eden Gardens is not just a defeat — it is a damning indictment of the team’s eroding discipline. The Men in Blue are struggling to strike a balance between the patience demanded by Test cricket and the impulsive urgency of limited‑overs formats.
Instead of constructing innings with resolve and intelligence, the batsmen threw away their wickets to reckless strokes. If India are serious about preserving their stature in the longer format, the team must abandon this cavalier mindset. A recalibration of attitude is essential.
K. Chidanand Kumar,
Bengaluru
Sir — Needing 124 runs for a win, India folded up for 93 in 35 overs, conceding victory to South Africa at the Eden Gardens. The irresponsible manner in which Yashasvi Jaiswal gave his wicket to the South African pacer, Marco Jansen, counted as rank bad cricket. Perhaps Jaiswal should be dropped from the second Test for his carelessness. This would teach the younger generation a lesson in discipline, which Test cricket demands.
S. Kamat,
Mysuru
Lived reality
Sir — Gopalkrishna Gandhi deserves admiration for his excellent article, “Death defied” (Nov 16), where he articulates that Durga is the soul of Pather Panchali. Even after she died in the film, Durga continued to make her presence felt in the subsequent scenes; for instance, when Harihar breaks down on hearing the news of his daughter’s demise and when the family leaves Nischindipur and the difficult memories associated with Durga.
Uma Dasgupta, who acted in only one film, is immortal for her endearing portrayal of Durga. However, Dasgupta’s death last year failed to create ripples. Gandhi’s ode to Dasgupta in thus an act of remembering one of the most mesmerising performances on screen.
Kajal Chatterjee,
Calcutta
Sir — In “Death defied”, Gopalkrishna Gandhi finds something “sublimely apposite” in the way Uma Dasgupta slipped out of life into the great beyond, for Durga, the character she portrayed on screen, had died in the story and in the film in a similar fashion.
Durga’s death in the dead of a stormy night is very touching. Durga, the author argues, died first in Bibhutibhushan Bandopadhyay’s novel, second in the film, and then in life.
Jahar Saha,
Calcutta
Sir — In Hindu mythology, Uma-Durga is the symbol of sacrifice. Durga’s identity is juxtaposed with rural beauty and hardships. Durga is the symbol of freedom as she dared to explore the unknown. Uma Dasgupta as Durga sublimated the inner voice of the novel. Uma and Durga are inseparable.
Nibedita Das,
North 24 Parganas
Sir — Gopalkrishna Gandhi has rightly argued that little Uma Dasgupta or Durga of Pather Panchali remains immortal through her proximity to real life.
Prasun Kumar Dutta,
West Midnapore