JK Rowling sues Indian group
2007-10-12 09:55
Calcuta - JK Rowling, creator of the Harry Potter series, is suing a community group in India for breach of copyright for recreating Hogwarts School
of Witchcraft and Wizardry for a religious festival, group
members said on Thursday.
The British author and Warner Brothers, who control the
rights to the series in India, are seeking 2 million rupees
($50 000) in compensation from the community group in the
eastern city of Calcuta.
Lawyers representing Rowling confirmed that a petition had
been filed in the Delhi High Court but refused to comment
further, saying it could be sub judice.
The group is accused of erecting a massive structure in the
shape of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry for the
Hindu festival of the Goddess Durga, which celebrates her
killing a demon and the victory of good over evil.
Life-size models
A statue of the 10-armed goddess sitting on a lion,
stabbing a demon emerging from a buffalo, dominates the set,
and organisers are planning to also include life-sized models of
the bespectacled Potter and his companions.
"We had no clue that we had to seek permission from the
author," Santanu Biswas, secretary of FD Block Puja Committee
of Salt Lake, the community group which designed and paid for
artists to make the tent.
"Our lawyer in Delhi will appear before the court tomorrow
to explain our stand."
The controversial structure has been built to resemble
Hogwarts Castle, the school where Harry Potter learns magic.
Hogwarts Express
Organisers said a mock steam engine train was also being
constructed next to it, to resemble Hogwarts Express.
Almost nearing completion, the structure is expected to
cost around 1.2 million Indian rupees ($30 000).
The four-day Durga Puja festival which begins on October 17 is
the biggest Hindu festival in east India.
In Calcuta alone,
more than 10 000 pandals - elaborately crafted temporary
structures in various themes - are set up to venerate the
goddess.
People from all over the country visit the city at this
time, and it is considered a matter of great pride and honour
for local communities if their pandals are praised for
originality and getting the most visitors.
"We did not have any commercial motive behind this. The
immense popularity of Harry Potter prompted us to choose this
as a theme to get more footfalls for our pandals," said Biswas.
"If they are still not satisfied, we will dismantle the
pandal."