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G.S. Aujla is his article “Holding Fort” has made the readers wise about the history of both forts — Gobindgarh and Phillaur. Maharaja Ranjit Singh was one of the ablest military strategist of his times in the world. He restructured the Phillaur Fort and maintained both forts during his lifetime to withstand any aggression from the East or West. The author has laid emphasis on the proper maintenance of the forts, to enable them to withstand the vagaries of the climate in the coming times, so that posterity can also make out what Ranjit Singh was capable of doing. It is a matter of sadness that the Akalis, who governed the state four times, have not raised any memorial to the great heroes of Punjab, like Gen Hari Singh Nalwa, Gen Sham Singh Atari and others who nearly defeated the then world power, the British army, in the battle of Challianwali. The Akali government is acquiring land to raise a suitable memorial of Baba Banda Singh Bahadur. Statues of other Punjabi heroes need to be raised too.

Maj Narinder Singh Jallo, Mohali

Changing tune

“Sounds for the soul” by Nonika Singh (Spectrum, December 6) was an engaging, arresting account of Punjabi singer Hans Raj Hans. Undoubtedly, he is the most celebrated state singer who has ruled the hearts of not only Punjabis, but non-Punjabis, too.

But Hans’ decision to contest elections as an Akali candidate boomeranged and his reputation took quite a beating.

His fans were disheartened to see him plunge into politics, which, he later realised, was not his cup of tea. Perhaps, he wanted to pay back the Akalis whose previous government had bestowed upon him the award of “Raj Gayak”.

Having tasted the unprincipled politics of the state, he has made up his mind to concentrate only on music, which really augurs well for Punjabi singing.

Tarsem S. Bumrah, Batala

‘Good...’ wrongs

Khushwant Singh’s write-up ‘No anwer to this question’ in his column ‘This Above All’ (December 12) contains some factual errors. Harold H. Kushner’s book is entitled ‘When Bad Things Happen to Good People’, not ‘Why Bad Things Happen to Good People’. Moreover, the Jewish rabbi’s son, Aaron, suffered from progeria, not cancer.

He died at the age of 14, not 10. He was not the rabbi’s ‘only child’; he had a younger sister, Ariel, who was normal. The film ‘Paa’ seems to be inspired by this book.