Yes, yesterday was the worldwide release of Harry Potter and the Cursed Child, the 8th and the latest book by J.K Rowling. The excitement around this book has been there for quite a while and we generally hear about true Potter fans, waiting in line to grab the first copy of the book. But that all happens in cities like London and New York. Was there really a buzz in India as well. Actually, there was and sadly we didn’t come to know about it.
The Pottermania you missed
Harry Potter 8th Book
There were a series of events that happened in Chennai, Mumbai, Bangalore and Delhi for Potter lovers. Delhi had some fun moments with the Cafe Red in Shahpur Jat hosting, “Harry Potter and the Fragrant Latte”. It was an evening packed with board games, coffee and of course Potter’s new book. KoolSkool also had events arranged in Gurgaon with quizzes and book copies available for grabs.
For Mumbaikars it was Landmark Bookstores that had a range of activities and snacks arranged for its customers. A similar arrangement was seen at Crossword Kemps Corner as well.
Chennai Potter lovers went to Crossword at Alwarpet to celebrate the book launch with fun contests and a scavenger hunt. There were also stops at Starmark Bookstore and Phoenix Market City Mall. As for Bangaluru, fans enjoyed a fun evening at the Lightroom Bookstore in Cooke Town.
What has the book achieved so far?
Potter Fans
According to PTI, the book had the highest pre-orders any hardback ever in India. “The trade orders are over 1.7 lakh copies and we were sold out last evening,” said Thomas Abraham, Managing Director of Hachette India. Maybe that’s the reason there was no lines outside bookstores. Everyone pre-ordered online.
So, we can definitely expect it to break all earlier Harry Potter records.
So what are the things you can now look forward to
JK Rowling
So, yes you missed the major buzz yesterday but there are still few contests and events taking place that you as a loyal Potter fan must visit. To start with, Hachette India has organised a content and two lucky winners will receive a limited edition author signed copy of “Harry Potter and the Cursed Child” Parts 1 and 2. The contest will end on August 5, so there’s still some hope.
There is also a Harry Potter literature and writing workshop going on in Hauz Khas Village, New Delhi till 6th August. It has on board guest speakers such as Gurcharan Das, Meenakshi Madhavan Reddy, Sanjoy Roy, Mihir S Sharma, Parul Tyagi, among others, to discuss the themes and nuances in the world of Harry Potter.
So, guys have to got your copy yet?
Author: Susmita Roy
