Voldemort vs. Goddess Durga!
No, the heading was not accurate. Actually the fight is between J. K. Rowling’s Indian Agents and some people of Kolkata. Before discussing what the fight is all about, let me tell you who is Goddess Durga. Durga is one of the ancient Goddess of Hindus. She has ten hands and she successful defeated a very clever, evil and brutal Demon, named Mahishasura. She is Goddess of power, honesty and truth. Hindus organize a ceremony to worship her during the month of September or October or, November. If you are a foreigner and planning to visit Kolkata, a eastern city of India, then visit the city at this time of the year to be part of the celebration. Now, in each small locality of the city, a temporary artificial building is built inside which the total four day ceremony occurs. These artificial buildings called ‘Pandals’ are built artistically in the shape of Iadia’s and rest of the world’s greatest sculptures. You can find out Statue of Liberty, Taj Mahal, great European Castles, Eiffel Tower, Pyramid as the outer form of these ‘Pandals’. And they look almost real!
[ If you want to more about Durga Puja, then go to http://www.durga-puja.org/ . This site a very useful info. site about Durga Puja. ]
Now, this year(2007), keeping in mind about the fans of Harry Potter residing at Kolkata, some ceremony of Durga organizers of Salt Lake ( a locality in Kolkata ), tried to make their Pandal in the form of ‘Hogwarts Castle’. Somehow, J K Rowling’s Indian agents got the news and the accused the decorator of copyright violation and charged from the organizers Rs. 20,00,000 ( Indian currency). Now let me give you another data. All these pandals that are made are broken into pieces after the ceremony is over. The organizers wanted to make such pandal not to gain cheap publicity or income money from the whole project but only to please the local children who are simply Pottermaniacs, who wanted to celebrate their Puja ( meaning ceremony) holiday inside the funny Hogwarts Castle. I have heard that J. K. Rowling is not only an eminent writer but also a very good and open person by heart. She should not hire heartless people like these ‘Agent robots’ who don’t understand significance of making Pandals, ambience of cemeony of Duga and desires of children to these exclusive four days with their fatasy heroes. For the innocent children of Salt Lake and rest of Kolkata, J. K. Rowling’s Indian agents, who have raised the copyright case to court, have obtained the image of ‘Voldemort’. Will the Pandal be broken down to pieces or the combined magical power of Harry Potter and Goddess Durga will save the festive days? Only time can tell the answer. [Source:- Times of India, http://www.timesofindia.com/ ]
Latest Addition:- Finally Delhi High Court gave the verdict that since the organizers of Durga Puja are a non profit organization, their building Pandal can not be broken till 26 October, 2007. So, the children of Salt Lake will celebrate the Puja with their fantasy friend Harry Potter. That was win of magic over reality. [ Source:- Ananda Bazar Patrika, http://www.anandabazar.com/ ]
