Cerebral high
Sir — Young people are filling nightclubs, not for alcohol-fuelled raves but for nights of collective chanting. As ‘bhajan clubbing’ gains popularity among those seeking respite from burnout and searching for new forms of spirituality, another trend is unfolding alongside it: pubgoers sipping pints while decoding quantum physics and other nerdy subjects at ‘bar lectures’. Together, these shifts point to a broader redefinition of leisure. For younger, urbane crowds, socialising is no longer centred on intoxication but on stimulation. The bar, once synonymous with excess, is being reimagined as a space with meaning.
Tanaya Sehgal,
Mumbai
Global bully
Sir — Washington’s aggression against Caracas accounts for a reckless violation of national sovereignty (“Two faces”, Jan 6). By taking the Venezuelan president, Nicolás Maduro, and his wife captive, Donald Trump has contradicted his own professed commitment to non-intervention in the internal affairs of other countries. Such actions amount to blatant breaches of international law. They also erode whatever moral authority the United States of America once had as the global leader.
Time and again, the US has shown scant respect for the sovereignty of countries that resist its preferences. From Latin America to the Middle East, the US has carried out interventions in these regions under the pretext of saving democracy while taking control over their resources and engineering regime change.
Gregory Fernandes,
Mumbai
Sir — The military invasion of Venezuela marks an ominous new chapter in America’s role in world affairs (“Broad impact”, Jan 7). In the decades following the Second World War, the US positioned itself as the steward of the global order. Under Donald Trump, however, it appears to be charting a very different course. After Venezuela, will Greenland become the next target of forceful acquisition? Colombia, Cuba, Iran, and Mexico have all been threatened by Trump.
Humanity is under growing strain from economic uncertainty and climate change. Yet, I believe that only America has the capacity to guide humanity through these dark times.
Anwar Saeed,
Calcutta
Sir — The pro-Venezuelan protests witnessed in Kerala border on political theatre. While Venezuelans have been taking to the streets to protest against the dictatorial regime of Nicolás Maduro, sections here are trying to whitewash the communist regime by resurrecting the tired slogan of ‘American occupation’. It was not the US that reduced the oil-rich nation to famine; it was the catastrophic misgovernance of Maduro’s communist regime. Marching in support of a collapsed dictatorship is irresponsible.
K.A. Solaman,
Alappuzha, Kerala
Sir — The overnight takeover of Venezuela by American forces is yet another confirmation of the US’s entrenched imperialist instincts. The United Nations remains confined to issuing statements. Most other nations have chosen to be neutral spectators. It is time to put sustained international pressure on the US.
A.G. Rajmohan,
Andhra Pradesh
Sir — Whatever the merits of the allegations against Nicolás Maduro, the unilateral nature of the US operation represents a clear violation of Venezuela’s sovereignty. The silence of the United Nations Security Council on the matter amounts to complicity.
Dhananjay Sinha,
Calcutta
Open warmth
Sir — The terrace, or chhad, was once a cherished space of togetherness. It symbolised a site for conversation and romance. The chhad was captured with deep meaning in films such as Sare Chuattor and Golpo Holeo Sotti. This chhad culture faded with the rise of apartment living. Yet in some of Calcutta’s older paras, a recent dip in mercury has brought about a revival. As the winter sun spills across rooftops, people are, once again, pulling out mats, sharing oranges and basking together on chhads.
Nibedita Das,
North 24 Parganas
Human supremacy
Sir — Artificial Intelligence will ultimately concede defeat to human intelligence (“Synthetic wisdom”, Jan 6). The next generation is likely to move forward with AI as an aid rather than as a rival. Traditional pedagogy is waning. Instead of encouraging rote memorisation, students must be taught how to ask questions and think critically.
Asim Bandyopadhyay,
Howrah
Magic of slowness
Sir — The passing of the Hungarian film-maker, Béla Tarr, marks the end of a monumental chapter in world cinema. Though his body of work is described as ‘dark’ or ‘apocalyptic’, such labels barely capture his legacy. Tarr used cinema to explore the weight of existence. In an age dominated by accelerated storytelling and shrinking attention spans, Tarr’s commitment to ‘epic slowness’ feels radical. Rejecting the gloss of Hollywood, Tarr chose to honour the dignity embedded in the mundane.
Dyutiman Bhattacharya,
Calcutta