A little bit of magic

Sir — Labubu, a furry, wide-eyed plush doll with a cheeky grin, has garnered a cult following. What began as whimsical storybook elves now commands frenzied queues, global resale markets, and designer collaborations. Sold in blind boxes so that buyers are left guessing which Labubu they are buying, each plushie offers a mystery and a dash of magic — part toy, part treasure hunt. These dolls are charming, odd and somehow irresistible. In a world full of chaos, perhaps a mischievous little monster is exactly what we need. The age of play clearly endures way past childhood.

Sourish Misra,
Calcutta

Regal lineage

Sir — The death of Arrowhead marks a solemn chapter in the history of Ranthambore. She was a legend rooted in a formidable dynasty of apex predators. Her final days were lived with the same intensity that defined her reign — culminating in the killing of a crocodile just before her passing. Her lineage, traced to the celebrated tigress, Machhli, has shaped the identity of the Ranthambore National Park. Arrowhead’s death reminds us that in conservation, the passing of an individual can echo through generations.

Omar Faruque Mondal,
Goalpara, Assam

Sir — Arrowhead’s demise marks the fall of a queen. Her last act — taking down a crocodile in a fierce ambush — was a dramatic testament to her enduring power. A dying tigress does not usually hunt. She defied that logic. Her instincts remained sharp, her spirit unbowed. Arrowhead belonged to a matrilineal legacy that helped put Ranthambore on the global wildlife map. She earned every inch of her territory and every ounce of awe. Her death demands respect and reflection.

Vinay Asawa,
Howrah

Sir — The timing of Arrowhead’s death, soon after her daughter’s relocation to Mukundra, adds a tragic rhythm to an already complex conservation story. The loss of the matriarch and the transfer of her daughter, Kankati, hint at the emotional and ecological disruptions caused by artificial management of wildlife. Nature’s arc includes decline and death. Arrowhead should have been allowed a quiet end in her land rather than being surrounded by the unintended consequences of misplaced compassion and overstretched systems.

D.V.G. Sankara Rao, Andhra Pradesh

Sir — The tigress, Arrowhead, leaves behind more than a stellar line of big cats. She leaves behind fables and fierce memories. From the distinctive mark on her head to her ambush on a crocodile in her final hours, she offered a living narrative of beauty and brutality. Her story was one of inheritance and survival. A tigress born into majesty, she exited the world like royalty. Arrowhead’s passing urges the wildlife establishment to distinguish between mourning a symbol and managing a species responsibly.

Sunil Chopra,
Ludhiana

Sir — From Machhli to Krishna to Arrowhead, Ranthambore has hosted a line of tigresses that enthralled tourists and tested every rule of survival. Arrowhead’s final days saw her daughter labelled a man-eater and shifted to another reserve. Such chaos is not the result of nature; it stems from decisions made by forest authorities who should have known better. Her death deserves reverence but also scrutiny. Conservation has turned too emotional. Tigers need wilderness, not indulgence.

S. Kamat,
Mysuru

Sir — Arrowhead earned admiration across the world, but admiration should not become interference. Her last hunt displayed astonishing power but that moment must not blind us to deeper issues. Forest departments have crossed the line between stewardship and sentiment. Arrowhead lived proudly and died naturally but her daughter’s fate is different — shaped by human decisions rather than instinct. If true respect is owed to this majestic tigress, it lies in learning from her death. Let the next generation of tigers inherit freedom not fences.

Bidyut Kumar Chatterjee,
Faridabad

Useless tantrum

Sir — The preoccupation of the president United States of America, Donald Trump, with the Nobel Peace Prize reads like a campaign trail prop rather than a statesman’s legacy. Awards do not validate leadership; deeds do. Trump’s insistence that he deserves the honour for various global conflicts rings hollow when the actual negotiations and ceasefires tell a different story. If every claim of peace earned a trophy, the Nobel would lose its purpose. Trump is chasing a medal just because Barack Obama got one.

Sudhir G. Kangutkar,
Thane

Sir — The Nobel Peace Prize was never intended as a consolation for bruised egos. Donald Trump’s repeated lament over not receiving it reveals a hunger for applause rather than a dedication to diplomacy. His habit of exaggerating interventions and rewriting timelines may win campaign points but they weaken the dignity of international recognition.

Arun Gupta,
Calcutta