Visually impaired kids who may have missed the thrills of the famous Harry Potter series, need not worry anymore.
By Ram Chand Sahu
Bhopal, Aug.28 : Visually impaired kids who may have missed the thrills of the famous Harry Potter series, need not worry anymore.
Thanks to the Bhopal-based NGO Arushi, the escapades of Harry Potter from part I to VI are now available in Braille.
The seventh and the final book of the series, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, is being transcribed in Braille.
The book, transliterated in English Braille, is not for sale and will be made available free for the visually-impaired by order.
"The idea behind this is to ensure that the visually impaired children also get to read and enjoy the Harry Potter books like other children," said N J Anthony, Member, Arushi.
The book contains 1897 pages and will be released in eleven volumes, as the Braille takes more pages as compared to the printed version.
Visually-challenged children say they are glad that they don't have to depend on others to know about Harry Potter's adventures.
"Its is a big favour for us, as the visually-impaired cannot read normal books. If the book will be released in Braille, the visually-impaired can read it themselves anytime," said Rajendra Dhruvrey, a visually impaired boy.
Members of Arushi say Harry Potter book in Braille is being introduced in India for the first time.
Earlier, there were only Audio CDs of the book available in the market which only few visually impaired children used to understand.
Arushi has plans to publish the sixth book of the Harry Potter series, Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince in Braille.
The Harry Potter series of seven fantasy novels has been written by English author J. K. Rowling and is about an adolescent boy wizard named Harry Potter and his best friends Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger.
The story is mostly set at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, a school for young wizards and witches, and focuses on Harry Potter's fight against the evil wizard Lord Voldemort, who killed Harry's parents as part of his plan to take over the wizarding world.
Since the release of the first novel, Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone (retitled Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone in the United States) in 1997, the books have gained immense popularity, critical acclaim and commercial success worldwide, spawning films, video games and assorted merchandise.
The seven books published to date have collectively sold more than 325 million copies and have been translated into more than 64 languages.
The seventh and last book in the series, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, was released on 21 July 2007.
ANI