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Culture

Hocus Pocus and Hogwash (Update: Court disagrees with Rowling)

By: Santosh :+: Under: Culture, Desi Ishtyle, It Happens Only in India, Religion
On: ⋅ October 12, 2007 ⋅  Email this post ⋅  Print this post ⋅ Post a comment
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Hindu festivals in India are often a reflection of current events of our times. Every festival features pandals - massive tents - which are often decorated in a contemporary theme.

PLANES crashing into the WTC towers, the attack on Parliament House, Ronaldo’s goal-scoring spree at the World Cup football, the derailment of Rajdhani Express… events that made front page news have suddenly returned, forming spectacular backdrops to countless Durga Puja pandals this year.

Durga now enrolls at Hogwarts
img: via BBC

Neighbourhoods and communities usually participate against each other, bigger pandals and more outlandish themes ensue, resulting in a smörgåsbord of themes and decorations. It happens for Ganesh Chaturthi in the western states of the country and Durga Puja in the east.

One such pandal in Calcutta got so caught up in at all it turned to the Harry Potter series for inspiration - the theme for the pandal was a model of Hogwarts.

The group has been building a huge model based on Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry as part of celebrations for a Hindu festival.

The BBC’s Chris Morris in Delhi says that popular themes are recreated using massive models made of canvas, wood and papier mache.

This did not sit well with the author of the Harry Potter series, JK Rowling, who with her omnipotent army of lawyers sued the organizers of the pandal - for breach of copyright.

A community group in the Indian city of Calcutta says it has been sued by JK Rowling, the author of the Harry Potter books, for breach of copyright.

The community group is being targeted by lawyers representing Penguin India on behalf of JK Rowling and Warner Brothers who hold the rights to Harry Potter in India.

Media reports in India suggest that possible fines could amount to two million rupees ($50,000).

Rowling: Evil Witch of Azkaban or poor muggle victim of intellectual copyright violation??
img: via BBC.com

I commend this action by Rowling and her gang of lawyers. This is something that was way overdue. Copyrights have been violated and the offenders have to pay.

Come Halloween and numerous Harry Potters and other characters from Harry Potter comics crawl out of their momma’s basements infesting the world of us muggles. I implore Rowling and her gang of lawyers to sue these nerds. Why wait till Halloween? Throughout the year, there are numerous kiddie birthdays with Harry Potter themes. I say, sue those lil’ bastards ….. and their parents. Why wait till they are adults? Teach them to fear lawyers right from the onset. The world will be a better place.

Ms. Rowling, never mind the little fact that movie themes have been used in public and private celebrations since times immemorial. We’re now waking up to the fact that such acts comprise of copyright violations. I’ve been to Hindu festivals in India copying themes from blockbuster movies like The Titanic and even a Methodist wedding in the US and A with a Big Fish theme, because the couple watched that particular movie on their first date. But they have violated copyrights. Please send your army of lawyers my way so I can turn these folks in for the heinous crimes.

On a personal level, I’m against these kind of garish celebrations and wastage of money and materials in the name of religion but something reeks here and it sure ain’t Hagrid or a Weasley stink bomb .

Update: A Delhi court has cast a stupefy spell on Rowling and her army of lawyers.

A court in Delhi has rejected a claim for breach of copyright brought by lawyers acting for author JK Rowling.
The ruling means a group in Calcutta building a huge model based on the school for wizards in the Harry Potter books can complete their work.

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