Deceptive image

Sir — Few would argue that a replica is hardly ever as good as the original. Recently, a tourist attraction in northern China generated an online buzz for strongly resembling Japan’s popular tourist site, Mount Fuji. But to the visitors’ dismay, what seemed like a perfect replica of the dreamlike snow-capped mountainscape with green meadows in the photographs turned out to be a small hill crudely painted white at the top to resemble snow with pink smoke to mimic volcanic eruptions. While one does not have to pay to see the real Mount Fuji, visitors of the fake one had to fork out 98 yuan. Photographs do not always capture reality accurately. Getting lured by images can lead to unrealistic expectations and disappointment.

Himadri Sanyal,
Calcutta

Secular core

Sir — In “The Pahalgam test” (May 3), Ramachandra Guha urges his fellow countrymen to secure the pluralist core of India in light of the heinous terrorist attack in Kashmir. Citing the example of Arathy Sarath, a kin of one of the victims of the attack, Guha underscores the spirit of Indian culture that rejects sectarianism and embraces brotherhood in difficult times.

Secularism does not imply a tolerance of any kind of dogmatism or fanaticism. Rather, it condemns any act of ill-treatment irrespective of religion. Jawaharlal Nehru’s treatment of religious minorities in post-Independence India should serve as a vanguard of democratic functioning.

T.S. Roy,
Calcutta

Sir — Ramachandra Guha does not do complete justice while deliberating on the implications of the Pahalgam attack. The dastardly terror strike on hapless, innocent Hindu Indian tourists cannot be left to obscurity. Stern action should be taken to destroy terrorist networks and funding. Preservation of pluralism must be backed by bold action.

Ronodeep Das,
Calcutta

History lessons

Sir — The Vietnam war, which ended 50 years ago with the fall of Saigon in 1975, holds enduring lessons for the world — militarily, politically, and morally (“Lessons from Saigon”, May 3). The war was not just about communism versus capitalism; it was a struggle for independence for the Vietnamese and for national reunification after decades of colonialism.

Deep-rooted nationalism bolstered Vietnam’s resistance efforts, which foreign military power could not break. Vietnam’s victory teaches that wars are not just about who has more weapons but about who has greater resolve. It remains a cautionary tale about the dangers of hubris.

Gregory Fernandes,
Mumbai

Sir — The war between the United States of America and Vietnam is remembered as a defeat for imperialism. The victory of a small, peace-loving communist country against the aggression of the mighty US taught us that peace always prevails in the end.

Tapomoy Ghosh,
East Burdwan

Comic relief

Sir — Donald Trump, the president of the United States of America, has made a spectacle of himself by posting an Artificial Intelligence-generated image of himself as the pope on social media. People are baffled by the image of a sitting president of a country masquerading as the pope. After the funeral of Pope Francis, Trump also jokingly indicated that he would like to be pope. He must have noticed during the pope’s funeral ceremony how the papacy is held as a venerable institution by most countries and felt how nice it would be if he could occupy it.

While Trump’s penchant for irreverence is not harmful, his pathological megalomania must be checked. That said, the class clown has succeeded in providing the world with comic relief.

G. David Milton,
Maruthancode, Tamil Nadu

Sir — Donald Trump posting an AI-generated image of himself dressed as Pope Francis is disrespectful to the global community, particularly to the Catholics, as they mourn the departure of their spiritual leader, Pope Francis. The image is also plainly offensive given that the period of official mourning is still underway.

Ranganathan Sivakumar,
Chennai

Sleek style

Sir — Art Deco, a design movement that emerged in the 1920s, is defined by bold geometry, rich colours, and lavish ornamentation (“A resilient style”, May 4). The 100th anniversary of L’Exposition Internationale des Arts Décoratifs has led to the organisation of several exhibitions throughout 2025. Art Deco strongly influenced architecture in Calcutta. Buildings like the Metro Cinema, New Empire Cinema, and others were built in the Art Deco style, highlighting its sleek, modern aesthetics.

S.S. Paul,
Nadia

Mercury rising

Sir — It is getting hotter by the day, with the temperature already crossing 40º Celsius in some places. The underground water level is falling, leading to some regions facing acute water shortages. People should not waste even a drop of water. The authorities should spread awareness and control deforestation.

Arshad Bastavi,
Mumbai

Old formula

Sir — The Indian Premier League in its 18th year has become a prosaic entertainment show (“Arrested development”, May 4). Now it is just another live television event that is hyped by broadcasters to increase viewership. The teams are populated by old cricketers long past their prime, refusing to hang up their boots. The IPL authorities should recruit more young players to make the tournament more relevant.

R. Narayanan,
Navi Mumbai