Happy birthday JK Rowling Archives

“Differences of habit and language are nothing at all if our aims are identical and our hearts are open.” – J.K.Rowling

“Like timidity, bravery is also contagious.” – Munshi Premchand

Considered as one of the greatest authors of the 20th century in their respective languages, it came as a surprise when I realised that Munshi Premchand and J.K.Rowling share the same birth date.

It’s not the date which astonishes most but their ability to create some of the most memorable characters & bringing them to life, which enchanted readers both young and old. Creating a generation of readers, who once story ended, would strive for more to read and understand the real world.

It’s astounding when we were touched by the story of two bulls, Heera & Moti or a simple House elf Dobby. From Mirror of Erised to Hamid’s ‘Chimta’ you just pour your heart out for the protagonist.

From Devasthan Rahasya to Godaan or The Philospher’s Stone to The Deathly Hallows, what gives you ability to compare the two is their artistry to create a magical world around you which makes you one of the characters in the book.

Often termed as ‘Upanyas Samrat’ – Premchand was influenced by Gandhian movement, his novel touched the dark side of the society. While most of his writings dwell in the socio-economic status of the society and talked about the poor and affected, the humour was rare and black . The protagonist was usually a common man, and story about his struggle, loss & courage. What kept the story intact was the potency of narrating the ongoing in a poor person’s voice. His story was a means to connect poor to rich, man to woman, citizens to government.

Rowling created an imaginary world for her readers which had characters that were easy to relate. From like of a mean kid Draco, naive Neville, cheeky Fred & George, the cool kid Ron, to the wise teacher like Dumbledore. But what connects you to the book is the depth of these characters in the story, the story of outcasts; where an orphan kid finds love in others, a geeky girl is accepted by peers and a fat bullied guy turns to be the hero. It’s a story of friendship, betrayal, loss, courage and most probably every said or unsaid emotion that a human heart can interpret.

Different to their genre, different to their era, different by the language but what they shared

was creating a world of possibilities where the characters had their own flaws, own vigour and were true to themselves. The characters felt like one among us and the world surreal.

On this day I wish you …….

जन्मदिन की शुभकामनाएं – श्री मुंशी प्रेमचंद

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