[Commons-Law] Delhi HC: Durga pandal can display Potter’s Hogwarts School

[Prashant Iyengar]

 Publication: Times Of India Bangalore; 	 Date: Oct 13, 2007; 	
Section: Times Nation; 	 Page: 9


Durga pandal can display Potter's Hogwarts School

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

Kolkata: Durga Puja committee of the Salt Lake FD Block here heaved a
sigh of relief on Friday when the Delhi High Court dismissed the
complaint by Penguin India, distributors of J K Rowling books,
alleging copyright violation for setting up a pandal in the model of
Harry Potter's Hogwarts School. They are now free to showcase the
"Harry Potter" pandal, likely to be a hit this puja.

    "Now, we can rejoice. We never even imagined that such a furore
would happen over selecting the theme of Hogwarts for Puja pandal.
>From next time, the committee will be more careful in selection," said
Shantanu Biswas, secretary of the puja committee. Soulful lighting and
music will be part of the theme, Biswas said.

    "We were interested since after decades, Gen X has developed
reading habit with the Harry Potter books. The committee members were
only interested in popularising the character of Harry Potter even
more and did not want to cash in on the Potter Mania," added Subrata
Bhattacharya, the secretary of FD block.

    Many of the items which are there in the Hogwarts School, will
find a place in the pandal. The magic broom, hanging magic candles,
three-faced tigers as well as Harry himself will be a part of the
decor.

    The 96-feet high pandal was again beaming with pink and yellow
diffused lights on Friday evening. Children and locals were trying to
catch a glimpse of the Potter train which is being built outside the
main arena. The organisers had already spent a whopping Rs 8 lakh to
create the mammoth structure. "We were getting jitters to even imagine
in case of an adverse judgment, the whole construction had to be
dismantled. Transport minister Subhas Chakraborty who is also a
resident of the area assured us to lend his full support. The lawyers
fought well in the court and ensured justice," says a much relieved
secretary.

    Children are already making plans about when to visit the pandal.
"We should come down during evenings since the illuminated structure
will give us a feel of the real castle," said Ananda Ghosh, a
seven-year-old student, to his friend while taking a trip around the
unfinished construction work.

    The puja committee members are all set to work overnight to finish
the remaining work as soon as possible.