Potter translations withdrawn

2003-05-01 20:39

Calcutta, India - "Harry gets onto his Nimbus 2000 broom and zooms across to Calcutta at the invitation of young boy called Junto," reads the text of an Indian version of the best-selling Harry Potter series.

The new book set in eastern Calcutta city is one of two forced out of print after lawyers acting for the child wizard's creator, author JK Rowling, sent a notice to publishers threatening legal action.

The other book is an illegal translation of the original in Bengali, the language of the eastern West Bengal state, of which Calcutta is the capital.

Rowling has also demanded an unconditional apology from the publishers who printed the books, said Kalyan Saha, spokesperson of the Publishers and Book Sellers Guild in Calcutta.

The Bengali version of the series' first book, "Harry Potter And The Philosopher's Stone", was translated illegally by several publishers and was a great success with children.

"The books were in high demand at the annual Calcutta Book Fair," Saha said.

"The books were printed by many publishers to earn quick money. We could not immediately take action as no complaint against the translations came to us."

Saha said the popularity of the Harry Potter books recounting the magical exploits of Harry and his friends indicated a welcome shift towards an interest in reading among children.

"The translated copies became popular as they were cheaper and more affordable."

The move to ban the books has come as a big disappointment to both the translators and the readers.

"Harry Potter is a very interesting character. I wanted to enrich the imagination world of the children and take it to them," said Asim Chatterjee, a translator.

"These translations help us get into the world of Harry, a world not so accessible to us through English works," said Sohini Dasgupty, an avid Harry Potter fan.

The Harry Potter series is available in more than 40 languages worldwide. - Sapa-AFP

- SAPA