Mystery of romance

I READ the article "Mystery of romance (April 18) by Manpreet Singh with keen interest. A romantic relationship between a man and a woman appeals to their imagination and deep emotions. But it is never based on reality. It is invariably fed on illusions and false impressions. The youth are specially vulnerable to romantic longings. They fall in love and behave irrationally.

I don’t agree with the contention that "Most men fall in love more quickly and easily than women, and most relationships are terminated by women." I am of the view that men and women both lose their heads when in love and behave strangely. Love renders them blind to social taboos and customs. Even then women, throughout the world, hesitate in expressing their desire for love. They feel more than they express about their romantic relationships.

In romantic relationships, human beings are not guided by any rational thought. Extremely emotional and sensible persons suffer the most. They find it quite hard to come to terms with reality. On the contrary, calculating and opportunistic people don’t suffer much when in love. They flirt with their partners and call it a day when they get bored.

In our country, most of the romantic relationships are kept as closely-guarded secrets because of the tyranny of the tradition. Here the delicate emotions of love and romance are in direct contrast to social norms and customs. Very few lovers try to challenge them. Most of them are forcibly persuaded to marry within the same ethnic group to which they belong.

We Indians are still very orthodox as far as love and romance are concerned. If a girl dares to announce "I want to marry this boy," it is taken as a grave crime on her part. We have become modern in dress, appearance and education but mentally we still live in the medieval world.

RAJ BAHADUR YADAV
Rewari

Punjabi cinema

This refers to Nonika Singh’s article "Mahaul ab theek hai" (April 1). I appeal to film personalities like Vinod Khanna — a Lok Sabha MP from Punjab — to take a lead in promoting the Punjabi film industry. He owes it to the people of Punjab who have elected him as MP twice. He must reciprocate and take up the cause of Punjabi cinema. The emphasis on quality can bring back the dwindling tribe of Punjabi cinegoers to cinema halls. It is a pity that Bollywood which is dominated by Punjabi producers and directors, has not come to the aid of Punjabi cinema. Production houses like R.K. Films and producers like B.R. Chopra, Ramanand Sagar and Gulzar should come forward to enrich Punjabi cinema and each one of them should produce a Punjabi movie as a gesture of goodwill to their home state. If Bollywood film producers and directors from the South, West Bengal and Maharashtra can promote their own regional cinema, why cannot Punjabi film producers do the same?

ONKAR CHOPRA
New Delhi

Match-fixing

This refers to Abhijit Chatterjee’s write-up "Fallen from grace... you bet!" (April 15). The International Cricket Council is not taking the issue of match-fixing as seriously as it should be taken. Two Australian players Shane Warne and Mark Waugh were also accused of accepting money from Indian Bookies. Later they made an excuse that they had done so to give the bookies ‘information’ of the weather during the match. In the recent match-fixing drama, Hansie also has admitted that he took money from the bookies to give them ‘information’. Strict action by the ICC against such players may prove to be a lesson for all the cricket players of the world.

ROBIN BATRA
Patiala.

Tale of a tercentenary

In the article "Tale of a Tercentenary" (April 8), P.P.S. Gill opened a new window for the Sikh youth to learn more about Guru Gobind Singh. The tenth Guru was a prophet, poet, soldier and a philosopher. In the short span of 42 years, he gave the final shape to the Adi Granth; he fought a unceasing battle against heavy odds till he was assassinated at Nanded (Maharashtra) by two Pathan brothers.

The Guru said "All men shall act for the pure love of man and God." One who does not love man, can never love God. For Guru Gobind Singh, humility, hard work, honest means of living and sharing one’s earnings with the needy were imperative rules of social existence. This message of the Guru is specially relevant for India’s politicians and bureaucrats whose only dharma is self and pelf, grab and greed, loot and plunder. Will the country’s Laloos and Jayalalithas hear the Guru’s voice of sanity?

DURGA BHARDWAJ
Solan