Saturday dawned like any other day; cold but sunny, windy yet quiet. There were no owls hooting on my roof and broomsticks lay still in my muggle closet. And a pity they were. Because this was not another day... it was the release of the much awaited 'Harry Potter and the Half blood prince'. Eeeeeks!
Australia being on the east end of things and Canberra on the east end of Australia, we were one of the earliest to lay our hands on it. I am told that there were throngs of people at the bookshops by 9 AM. Children threatened to go on fasts if their parents didn't buy them the Harry Potter as soon as it was released and the threats I am told worked like magic (you know how adamant they can get). And there were events organised in all bookshops (people dressed as witches and wizards).
I am as Dudley as it can get and I didn't get to the bookshops until 4 and even then satisfied myself looking at the hard-bound book longingly, inhaling the fresh scent and holding it close to my heart (it was $22 and I am a poor researcher).
A trip to the lakeside yesterday was greeted with a line of Potterians thumbing the book, an unofficial congregation. It was a sight, I tell you. I may have to wait for some months before I can pore through it in some library. Until then, Patience - I tell myself.
Will it be worth the wait!
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The next phenomenon is also a prince... I am not sure if he is half-blood but he is a wizard nevertheless. A wizard in stature as great as Dumbledore, sans the beard of course. Sunday, I finally listened to Thiruvasagam in Symphony. My parents had sent the original CD (not pirated or downloaded stuff this) and were raving on the phone about how Ilaiyaraaja rocks.
I have two left ears, if you know what I mean, but I still enjoyed the compositions. Bavatharini especially was amazing in her rendition of Poeru Konum. Ilaiyaraaja, needless to say was soul-stirring. This is my inititaion to the wonders of Thiruvaasagam and Manickavaasagar (barring some passages in Sivagamiyin Sabadham) and it has created in me an urge to lunge deeper. A religious experience.
5 comments:
I also liked Bavatharini's song...incidentally my parents also send me the CD few days ago.
gosh! is tat potter book really worth the buzz??? back to india i guess there r far better tales...
'hurry' potter as pointed out by toi is a huge success in india as well.... any how, is it worth for such a hype?
wrto thiruvaachagam....i am yet to listen:-)
I never had the experience of reading HP sequels.. I always wonder about its contents when so many of you talk a lot about it. But, still I am not giving myself a chance to read it.. time constraint.
Kaps! Thx for visiting. Hope u can be a regular in the comments section.
Well! to Shashi and Ranga, let me tell you that I have thoroughly enjoyed reading all of the Potter books. I am not sure if a 'worth' of the book can be measured but even if for nothing else, HP will have to be applauded for bringing children back to books.
Ram, you should possibly read out HP to ur children... they will love it (and you get to read it as well)
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