Shera, the mascot: Charming going on feral

The one indisputably agreeable thing about the Commonwealth Games is the choice of the mascot: Shera, the anthropomorphic tiger. He is one jolly fellow, ever ready to make merry with children and smile his beatific smile at less boisterous humans like adults. Now, there is a great advantage in having a tiger as a national symbol. As Shera shows, a tiger can present an extremely friendly face. At the same time, a tiger can also represent raw fury and destructive power. A national symbol capable of radiating a variable national sentiment can be a real asset. This is one department in which India clearly scores over China.

The Chinese are seriously debating whether to displace the dragon as the pre-eminent symbol of their country. This wingless, scaly, monstrous serpent with claws and a mouthful of fangs radiates menace, not charm. The symbol rubs off on how the world perceives China, too. And this is causing some disquiet in the politburo, according to reports. Won't the Chinese be better off being represented by a more benign animal, say the Panda? Won't the world take more kindly to a picture of a smiling panda scooping up the odd island in the South China Sea than to a picture of the same island being caught in the swirling coils of a dragon? As the world prepares for a currency battle, an undervalued yuan versus the rest, how would a panda nibbling a bamboo shoot compare with a snarling dragon as China's battle standard? Clearly, the gentle panda is in for some tender loving attention from the powers that be in Beijing.

India's problem is of a different order. At one level, there is the challenge of keeping the great Bengal tiger alive, fending off marauding poachers, forest-clearing villagers, and roads and rail tracks that run through forests. Another problem is the great Bengal tigress herself!