Natural style
Sir — Anyone searching for ‘the best things about Thailand’ should not be surprised if Moo Deng, the five-month-old pygmy hippopotamus from Khao Kheow Open Zoo, features in the list. Deng has emerged as a popular internet celebrity, even inspiring branded merchandise. Such is the public fixation with Deng that The New York Times included her in the list of “63 Most Stylish People of 2024”. It must be asked what is it that makes Moo Deng stylish. Moo Deng’s style statement is always being her natural self. Perhaps her human compatriots on the style list can learn a thing or two from her.
Anwesha Jha, Delhi
Too little, too late
Sir — On the last day of 2024, the chief minister of Manipur, N. Biren Singh, apologised to the people of the state for the ethnic strife that has been raging since May 2023 (“Salt to wound: CM now wants to say sorry”, Jan 1). His apology is too little, too late. Under his watch, the ethnic divisions between the Meiteis and the Kuki-Zos deepened, leading to deaths and violence. If Singh is contrite about the unrest, he should have at least convinced the prime minister to visit the state.
Avinash Godboley, Dewas, Madhya Pradesh
Sir — After 20 months of unrest in Manipur, the chief minister felt the need to come out with an apology. More than 250 people have been killed and thousands displaced. This could have been avoided had the state government been more vigilant. Inhuman crimes have been perpetrated against women during the conflict. A mere apology from the chief minister will not suffice. The displaced population have to be rehabilitated and the affected adequately compensated.
Sravana Ramachandran, Chennai
Sir — N. Biren Singh’s apology appears to have been prompted by political exigency. Singh is facing protests from his own legislators and coalition partners for mishandling the ethnic crisis. The ethnic divisions in Manipur have been aggravated by the lack of development, the tone-deaf insistence on framing the conflict as an insider-outsider issue, and the emphasis on the use of force instead of dialogue. Singh must resign immediately and peace be restored in Manipur.
M. Jeyaram, Sholavandan, Tamil Nadu
Intertwined notes
Sir — In his article, “Baba’s family” (Dec 28), Ramachandra Guha confessed that he is just an amateur listener. I will thus try to set some of the records he mentions straight as per my knowledge. Allauddin Khan taught his son, Ali Akbar Khan, his son-in-law, Ravi Shankar, and others. Some of his students, such as Timir Baran Bhattacharya (a student of Ustad Amir Khan Sarodiya of the Gwalior Gharana), had previous teachers. Nikhil Banerjee, who Guha mentions, initially took lessons from Ustad Mustaq Ali Khan and Pandit Radhika Mohan Moitra and, then, went to Allauddin Khan at Maihar. After a few months in Maihar, he was allegedly rejected by Allauddin Khan and sent back to Calcutta. Later, Ali Akbar Khan took him under his wings and taught him all that he knew. Banerjee also went on to learn music from Ustad Amir Khan and later became a disciple of Pandit Birendra Kishore Roy Chaudhury of Gauripur, who was a gandabandh disciple of Ustad Hafiz Ali Khan.
Allauddin Khan’s main disciples were Ali Akbar Khan and Ravi Shankar. The latter married his youngest daughter, Roshanara Khan, who was renamed Annapurna. Guha suggests that Annapurna was compelled to leave the concert stage. I do not think this is correct.
Allauddin Khan’s name travelled all over the world owing to his son-in-law and son. It is tragic to see that the generations that have followed have not produced any artists of their calibre. Incidentally, Allauddin Khan did not create a gharana but a baaj, which is the Maihar Baaj of the Senia Gharana.
Asit Ghatak, Calcutta
