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Iran’s new Supreme Leader skips father Ali Khamenei’s funeral Harry Potter: The magic that never dies Somewhere between paying EMIs, navigating workplace politics, doom scrolling through bad news, and wondering whether adulthood was always meant to feel this way, an entire generation is still waiting for an owl.Millennials know that no letter is coming through that letterbox and no half-giant named Hagrid is about to knock down the door and announce that you are a wizard. Yet decades after the first Harry Potter book came out, many still dream of Hogwarts with a devotion that borders on the magical.They reread the books. They host movie marathons. They sleep to Stephen Fry’s narration of their favourite books. They debate whether Snape was a hero or whether ‘Dumbledore said calmly.’ They sort themselves into Hogwarts Houses again and again, hoping the answer remains the same. They quote Dumbledore on difficult days and whisper “Mischief Managed” at the end of adventures.For a generation that grew up alongside Harry Potter, Hogwarts was never just a school. It was a second home. And perhaps that is why millennials have never truly left. School children holding on to the last book of Harry Potter back in 2007 at Khan Market in Delhi. (TOI photo)The generation that grew up with HarryUnlike younger readers who discovered the books all at once, millennials experienced Harry Potter in real time.”I first watched Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone in a theatre with my brother when I was eleven years old—the same age as Harry. Because of that, I immediately connected with the story. What fascinated me most was the idea that a hidden magical world could exist alongside our own,” said Zeeshan Khan from Kolkata.They queued outside bookstores at midnight. They speculated endlessly about Horcruxes and prophecies. They spent years wondering whether Sirius Black was a villain or a victim, whether Dumbledore could be trusted, whether Harry would survive.The story unfolded alongside their own lives. “Growing up, Harry Potter was the first thing that truly taught me what magic felt like. It opened up an entire world that never seemed fictional but felt like it existed just beyond our reach. Finding out that Harry and I share the same birthday made me feel magical too. What I loved most was that everyone saw a little of themselves in one character or another, and no matter who you were, the stories made you believe you could be part of that magic,” said Nakul Jain from Bangalore.When Harry boarded the Hogwarts Express for the first time, many millennials were children. By the time Deathly Hallows arrived, they were teenagers or young adults facing their own uncertain futures. The magic that never diesIn many ways, Harry Potter wasn’t merely a book series. It became a shared coming-of-age experience.What began as a magical adventure about an orphan boy eventually transformed into a story about friendship, love, loss, sacrifice, grief, courage and choosing what is right over what is easy.Those themes aged remarkably well because millennials aged with them. Hogwarts will always be there to welcome you home.JK Rowling, authorFor many millennials, Hogwarts represented something deeper than escapism. It was a sense of belonging.”Help will always be given at Hogwarts to those who ask for it.” When Dumbledore said it, it filled the heart with a sense of warmth and trust. It was this fantasy that somewhere in the world existed a place where weirdness was celebrated, friendships were transformative, and courage mattered more than popularity.”What I love most about Harry Potter is its sense of wonder. It is a story filled with magic, mystery, friendship, and courage, and it has remained special to me ever since I first discovered it as an eleven-year-old,” said Zeeshan.At an age when many readers were still figuring out who they were, Hogwarts provided language for identity. Part of Harry Potter’s enduring appeal lies in the wisdom scattered throughout the books. Why is Harry Potter such a rage with millenials?Dumbledore’s ArmyMany readers first encountered Dumbledore’s quotes as children. They understood them differently as adults.”It is our choices, Harry, that show what we truly are, far more than our abilities.”As children, it sounded inspirational. As adults facing career dilemmas, relationship decisions, ethical compromises, and personal failures, it sounds like life advice.The same is true for another favourite: “Happiness can be found even in the darkest of times, if one only remembers to turn on the light.””As a kid, I connected more to the trio Hermione, Ron and Harry or even Malfoy. But when you grow up, and then you read or watch it again, you kind of connect a lot with the adults as well. You understand where Dumbledore was coming from. You understand what Sirius Black or Lupin went through. You understand the politics of the ministry and you relate with it,” said Shameen Alauddin in Delhi. “So I think that Harry Potter has that kind of charm that a child can also connect to it and an adult can also connect to it.”For a generation that has lived through recessions, pandemics, political upheavals, wars, climate anxiety, and constant digital overwhelm, the line feels less like fantasy dialogue and more like a survival strategy.”My favourite character is Professor Dumbledore because he is wise, kind, powerful, and always believes in giving people a second chance. I also find Tom Riddle to be one of the most fascinating characters because of his complex backstory and obsession with power,” said Zeeshan. Growing up with Harry PotterMagic beyond spells The series repeatedly reminds readers that evil does not always arrive dramatically. Sometimes it enters institutions quietly. Sometimes it disguises itself as fear. Sometimes ordinary people enable it through silence.Harry Potter arrived before social media consumed childhood, before notifications became constant, before every moment was documented online.Returning to the series often means returning to a version of ourselves. The child reading under a blanket with a flashlight, the teenager arguing about theories with friends, the student who dreamed about platform 9¾.In uncertain times, nostalgia functions almost like a Patronus charm.Perhaps the deepest reason millennials remain attached to Harry Potter is that the story speaks to a universal hope. The hope that somewhere beyond the ordinary exists a world where we truly belong.The Hogwarts letter became a symbol of possibility. Most millennials joke that they are still waiting for theirs. Deathly Hallows book launch in Mumbai in 2007. (TOI photo)Why some fans have distanced themselves from HPSince 2020, Rowling has argued that biological sex should remain a legal and social category, particularly in areas such as women’s prisons, sports, changing rooms, and rape crisis centres. She has expressed concern that some transgender rights policies could erode protections for women.Rowling has said she supports the rights of transgender people to live free from discrimination and violence, but believes that trans women should not automatically be treated as identical to biological women in every context.She has criticized concepts such as self-identification (allowing people to legally change their gender without medical requirements) and has supported organisations campaigning for sex-based rights.Because of these positions, the transgender community, LGBTQ+ organizations, and former fans have accused her of promoting ideas that exclude or stigmatize transgender people, leading to the label “TERF.” Rowling disputes this characterization, arguing that her views are about protecting women’s rights rather than opposing transgender community.The argument, however, did not sit well with all. Priyali Prakash, who started reading Harry Potter as a teenager, said, “Harry Potter for millennials isn’t just a fantastical piece of literature, it showed us how important friendships and human connections are to get through life. But that said, I am very aware of Rowling’s TERF views and I do not condone those. It’s sad to see what she has become, but if the cast of Harry Potter movies can distance themselves from her and the world she built, I think the fans should be able to acknowledge that too, as heartbreaking as it may feel. Reading/watching Harry Potter is a beautiful memory, but we should be able to leave it at that.” Boy looks at the release of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows books on sale in Bangalore, back in 2007.Greatest love story of our generationFor boomers, it was Titanic. For millennials, one of the greatest love stories in popular culture came wrapped in black robes and years of misunderstanding.After spending six books hating Severus Snape, readers discovered that the Hogwarts professor they feared most had quietly been protecting Harry all along. His death revealed a truth that left an entire generation stunned.It transformed Snape from Hogwarts’ most intimidating teacher into one of its most tragic figures — a man who spent a lifetime loving someone he could never have and protecting the son who reminded him of both his greatest love and deepest resentment.For many millennials, the revelation remains one of the most emotional twists in modern storytelling. Not because it was romantic, but because it was painfully human. It was about regret, sacrifice, loyalty and a love that endured long after hope had faded.Perhaps that is why Harry Potter has never really lost its magic. The series grew up with its readers. What once felt like a story about spells and broomsticks gradually became a story about friendship, grief, courage, choice and loss.Years have passed since readers first met Harry in the cupboard under the stairs. The generation that grew up with the Boy Who Lived now has jobs, mortgages, children and responsibilities.Yet Hogwarts remains crowded. Millennials continue to return to the Great Hall, wander the corridors, revisit Hogsmeade and board the Hogwarts Express whenever life becomes too ordinary.Because some stories do not simply entertain us.They become part of us.And for the generation that grew up believing an owl might arrive any day now, the magic never really ended.After all this time? Always!Get the latest India news and live updates. Download the TOI App.About the AuthorNatasha SinghPrincipal Digital Content ProducerEnd of ArticleFollow Us On Social MediaVideosWhy Adani’s $1.4 Billion Vizhinjam Port Stake Sale To MSC Has Triggered A Political RowWhy the NDA Still Faces an Uphill Battle to Pass the Women’s Reservation Bill Despite Higher Numbers8 Officials Suspended After Books Allegedly Glorifying Separatists : J&K School Book RowArmy, J&K Police And CRPF Surround Two LeT Terrorists In Shopian As Gunfight ContinuesLove Across The LoC: PoK Youth Sent Back Home After Court Accepts He Crossed Border To Meet BelovedMamata Calls TMC Rebels ‘Traitors’, Dares Rivals To ‘Kill Me’ As Party Split DeepensKedarnath-Badrinath Donation Row: Cong Questions BJP, Temple Committee Launches ProbeJ&K School Book Controversy: BJP, Civil Society Demand Probe Over Book Glorifying SeparatistsHAPS Explained: How India’s New High-Altitude Surveillance Aircraft Will Boost Defence CapabilitiesDelhi Court Reserves Order On Umar Khalid, Sharjeel Imam’s Fresh Bail Pleas In Riots Case123PhotostoriesPersonality test: The first detail that you spot in this optical illusion reveals a surprising truth about youCharlie Chaplin and more: 7 Old Hollywood icons married to Partners 30 years younger7 Surprising facts about ring-necked parrots you probably didn’t knowBride-to-be Anshula Kapoor’s stunning blue Patola lehenga for mehendi celebrations is a look rooted in Indian craftsmanshipWhy old Indian sweets lasted longer without preservativesWhy does Mawlynnong stop tourists on Sundays? 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Adams: “I’m ready” as he pitches a ‘Suits’ revival with Meghan Markle and the original cast Aamir Khan-Gauri Spratt wedding: First photo of the couple as husband and wife is out; the newlyweds take their wedding vows in the presence of family and children | ‘We have no stake in it’: Pakistan refuses to take back grooming gang leader Shabir Ahmed as UK seeks deportation HSSC CET Group D 2026 registration closes today; eligible Haryana candidates must complete application here Anshula Kapoor’s Mehendi celebrations: Karisma Kapoor, Sonam Kapoor, and more Bollywood stars join pre-wedding festivities 6 Shiva Temples You Can Visit to Remove the Effects of Black Magic India’s office market faces supply hurdle as leasing dips in April-June | ‘Where we began’: David Beckham and Victoria Beckham complete 27 years of marriage, share throwback photos Why old Indian sweets lasted longer without preservatives Weekly Love Horoscope Predictions, July 05 to July 11, 2026: Your zodiac love forecast for this week No radar needed, safer landings in bad weather: After GAGAN, India to get first satellite-guided helicopter approach File photo: Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh (Picture credit: PTI) NEW DELHI: The Congress on Sunday launched a sharp attack on the BJP and the RSS over the alleged embezzlement of donations at the Ram Temple in Ayodhya, calling it a “scam” carried out by the BJP-RSS ecosystem and questioning the silence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union home minister Amit Shah.Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh alleged that the BJP’s politics now revolved around a three-pronged strategy of “vote chori, seat chori, chanda chori” (vote theft, seat theft and donation theft), reported news agency PTI.Ramesh also criticised the RSS for its response to the controversy, calling its statement “disgraceful and shameful”.He alleged that the organisation, which often claims to uphold integrity and nationalism, had failed to address the seriousness of the allegations.Demands Supreme Court-monitored probeClaiming that donations worth “thousands of crores” had been siphoned off, Ramesh demanded an inquiry monitored by a sitting Supreme Court judge and strict action against all those found guilty.“Donations running into thousands of crores have been siphoned off. Of course, there should be an inquiry by a sitting Supreme Court judge, of course the toughest action should be taken against all the accused but the silence of the prime minister and the home minister is shocking,” he said.Ramesh argued that Prime Minister Modi, who had taken credit for the construction and inauguration of the Ram Temple on January 22, 2024, should publicly respond to the controversy.“We expect the prime minister, who took credit for building the Ram Temple… to make a statement. They have been completely silent,” he said.BJP-RSS ecosystem under fireThe Congress leader linked the alleged donation irregularities with the BJP’s past funding practices, referring to the now-scrapped electoral bonds scheme.“Remember the electoral bond scheme. It was struck down by the Supreme Court. Hundreds of crores were collected – ‘chanda do dhanda lo’. So this whole ‘chanda business’ is part of the BJP’s DNA,” Ramesh alleged.He further claimed that members of the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust were closely associated with the BJP-RSS ecosystem and questioned whether senior leaders were unaware of what had allegedly taken place.“To think that the RSS did not know what is happening, to think that the PM and HM did not know what was happening, is beyond imagination,” he said, adding that the “whole enterprise was a political enterprise”.Ramesh also questioned the role of former principal secretary to the Prime Minister Nipendra Mishra, saying the system was “a tightly-locked, interconnected ecosystem” where “nothing escapes the other’s attention”.Probe underway after FIR and arrestsThe alleged embezzlement came to light after a Special Investigation Team (SIT) constituted by the Uttar Pradesh government submitted its preliminary findings. An FIR was registered on June 25.Police have arrested eight accused in the case. Investigators have also recovered nearly Rs 80 lakh in cash, along with some foreign currency, from six of the accused, while the probe remains ongoing.Reiterating the party’s stand, Ramesh alleged that the case represented “a ghotala, a scam perpetrated by the BJP-RSS ecosystem”, and again criticised the continued silence of Prime Minister Modi and home minister Shah, according to PTI.Get the latest India news and live updates. Download the TOI App.About the AuthorTOI News DeskThe TOI News Desk comprises a dedicated and tireless team of journalists who operate around the clock to deliver the most current and comprehensive news and updates to the readers of The Times of India worldwide. With an unwavering commitment to excellence in journalism, our team is at the forefront of gathering, verifying, and presenting breaking news, in-depth analysis, and insightful reports on a wide range of topics. The TOI News Desk is your trusted source for staying informed and connected to the ever-evolving global landscape, ensuring that our readers are equipped with the latest developments that matter most.”Read MoreEnd of ArticleFollow Us On Social MediaVideosWhy Adani’s $1.4 Billion Vizhinjam Port Stake Sale To MSC Has Triggered A Political RowWhy the NDA Still Faces an Uphill Battle to Pass the Women’s Reservation Bill Despite Higher Numbers8 Officials Suspended After Books Allegedly Glorifying Separatists : J&K School Book RowArmy, J&K Police And CRPF Surround Two LeT Terrorists In Shopian As Gunfight ContinuesLove Across The LoC: PoK Youth Sent Back Home After Court Accepts He Crossed Border To Meet BelovedMamata Calls TMC Rebels ‘Traitors’, Dares Rivals To ‘Kill Me’ As Party Split DeepensKedarnath-Badrinath Donation Row: Cong Questions BJP, Temple Committee Launches ProbeJ&K School Book Controversy: BJP, Civil Society Demand Probe Over Book Glorifying SeparatistsHAPS Explained: How India’s New High-Altitude Surveillance Aircraft Will Boost Defence CapabilitiesDelhi Court Reserves Order On Umar Khalid, Sharjeel Imam’s Fresh Bail Pleas In Riots Case123PhotostoriesWhy old Indian sweets lasted longer without preservativesWhy does Mawlynnong stop tourists on Sundays? 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(Photo: PTI) NEW DELHI: The Congress is staring at a crisis in Punjab. Does this read as a surprise? Well, not really! It’s the same old story of infighting and power tussle between the state leaders which has played out so many times for the Congress in so many states in the last one decade.Remember Rajasthan, Haryana, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh and yes, also Punjab in the run up to the 2022 assembly elections. Each of these states had the same story unfolding almost in a similar pattern.Step 1: Making of the crisis – power tussle between state leaders.Step 2: Incubation period – a procrastinating Congress high command preferring to look the other wayStep 3: Cosmetic actions – Verbal warnings and probe panels to find the obvious and delay real actionStep 4: The rebellion – a delayed or at times no meaningful intervention pushing one faction to revoltStep 5: The defections – disgruntled leaders leaving the party for greener pastures making it easy for the leadership as they no longer need to actStep 6: Electoral defeat – And finally, a loss in the electionsWell, this may read harsh. But this is closer to the truth. Analyse the crisis in each of the states mentioned above and you will find this pattern playing out step by step – perhaps with some variations. In most of these states, leadership tussle was allowed to blossom into a full blown crisis because of the reluctance of Congress high command to intervene decisively at the right time.Same script, different statePunjab crisisNow, let’s look at the crisis brewing in Punjab.Around 10 days back, Rahul Gandhi – the “Bhagya Vidhata” of the Congress – gave a pep talk to the leaders in Punjab. This is what he said: “You have to fight collectively, Punjab is an important state, and we stand a very good chance … ”Some questions: What has the Congress done to ensure that its leaders in Punjab fight unitedly? What ground work has the party done since its last defeat in the state to claim that it has a very good chance?Now, either Rahul Gandhi was not briefed about the real ground situation in poll-bound Punjab or he was intentionally ignoring the obvious and following the drill of pep talk.Whatever be the reason, the cracks in Punjab Congress are now out in the open. And it took just one decision from the high command to trigger this crisis. Ironically, a close look and you realise that even this decision, which was perhaps over four years late, steered clear of any change and focussed on maintaining the status quo in the state.Congress crisisDecision four years late? Well, it was in 2022 that the Congress was decimated in Punjab by Arvind Kejriwal’s AAP. The grand-old-party came down from 77 to 18 while the AAP went up from 20 to 95. That sums up the story of the 2022 elections.The Congress had four long years to rejig the state organisation and give the new leadership time to prepare for the 2027 elections. Dissents if any would have been handled with time. But then we all know that the Congress does not believe in the age old adage : “A stitch in time saves nine.” So, nothing happened till the next elections came knocking on the doors.And finally when the leadership eventually focused on Punjab – it triggered a crisis. The fact that this decision was to “maintain the status quo” meant that the state leaders who were hoping to get a prominent role were left disappointed.Senior leader Manish Tewari, who was assigned no role in the rejig, raised the first voice of dissent with a cryptic note on X in which he wished he had an antidote for the “insecurities of individuals” and “institutions”. Then followed former chief minister and 2022’s compromise candidate Charanjeet Singh Channi – who had led the Congress to its historic defeat five years back. Channi, who lost from both the assembly seats he contested then, is unhappy with the leadership after being ignored for the post of state president. Channi was appointed as the chairman of the campaign committee but did not bother with the customary thanks to the leadership in a subtle dissent. A meeting called by “unhappy” Channi to discuss the leadership issue was attended by several important state leaders posing a question mark on the Congress’s decision to continue with Amarinder Singh Raja Warring as the state party chief.The BJP was quick to take digs at the Congress. Union minister Ravneet Singh Bittu, a former Congressman (remember Rahul Gandhi’s traitor jibe that stirred a storm) who joined BJP in 2024, took a swipe at Warring. Bittu recalled a famous scene from Sholay. Drawing a parallel with Asrani’s iconic jailor, whose entire contingent marches away with commands of “right, left” while he is left standing alone, Ravneet Singh said a similar situation has unfolded in the Punjab Congress with Raja Warring retained on the top post.He said almost Raja Warring’s entire team has drifted towards Charanjit Channi, leaving the state Congress chief isolated. In a tongue-in-cheek remark, Bittu advised Warring to stop resisting the inevitable, join the “Channi wagon”, and head to Channi’s residence along with the rest of his colleagues.Result of 2022 assembly elections in Punjab.Does faction-ridden Congress stand a chance in Punjab? Well, theoretically “yes”, but practically perhaps “no.”Punjab has traditionally been one of the best bets for the Congress over the years. The Congress has won five of the 13 assembly elections between 1966 and 2022 and as a party has given maximum chief ministers to the state.With Akalis the only challenger for years, the grand-old-party kept returning to power in the state despite controversies and infighting. Even the scars of 1984 – the operation Blue Star and the anti-Sikh killings – did not cause a permanent harm to the party’s electoral prospects.Not any more. The 2022 assembly election changed the template. When Arvind Kejriwal’s AAP swept the state by winning 95 seats in the 117-member assembly, it marked the end of a political duopoly in the state. The magnitude of AAP’s victory stunned not just the political observers but also the Congress and the Akalis, who were anyways on a decline following their breakup with the BJP.Unfortunately for the Congress, this time around there is also a very aggressive BJP which has already shown its intent for the 2027 electoral battle. The BJP, which had “gained” many Congress leaders in 2022 has now added several more AAP MPs in its fold. Raghav Chaddha, the once trusted aide of Kejriwal and one of the architects of the 2022 Punjab win, is now in the BJP with 6 other party MPs – all from Rajya Sabha. As the election approaches, many more may want to switch sides – both from the Congress and AAP – for obvious reasons. BJP president Nitin Nabin recently made a three-day trip to the state to galvanise party workers and make a statement of intent.Punjab Congress – a timeline since 2022Too little, too lateAnd now, let’s look at what the Congress did to set its house in order after the 2022 defeat. Well, literally nothing. It waited for four long years doing very little to settle the core issues that may have contributed to the party’s poor performance.In the run up to the 2022 assembly elections, while AAP went around showcasing its Delhi model of governance and convincing voters to give Kejriwal’s party a chance, the Congress was busy prolonging the leadership tussle in the state. Captain Amarinder Singhand cricketer-turned-politician Navjot Singh Siddhu engaged in power tussle. As the two openly traded barbs, Congress discovered a leader in Channi – a Dalit leader – and gave him the baton. The end result: Congress lost both Amarinder Singh and Sidhu and Channi lost Punjab.Ironically, the Congress did not learn its lessons from the 2022 defeat and today faces an exactly similar situation. The Congress has no mass leader in Punjab who can match the popularity of AAP’s Bhagwant Singh Mann. Kejriwal has already declared Mann as the party’s chief minister face. The Congress leaders say they will fight the Punjab assembly elections under the leadership of Rahul Gandhi and Mallikarjun Kharge. While this is not surprising, what it means is that the Congress will end up helping the BJP make the Punjab election a Modi versus Rahul contest once again. And we all know who has had the upper hand in all such direct contests that have happened in the last one decade.So, the question is: Has the Congress missed the bus in Punjab? Well, one will have to wait and see if the people of Punjab are ready for another stint of Congress rule in the state despite all these hiccups.Get the latest India news and live updates. Download the TOI App.End of ArticleFollow Us On Social MediaVideos8 Officials Suspended After Books Allegedly Glorifying Separatists : J&K School Book RowArmy, J&K Police And CRPF Surround Two LeT Terrorists In Shopian As Gunfight ContinuesLove Across The LoC: PoK Youth Sent Back Home After Court Accepts He Crossed Border To Meet BelovedMamata Calls TMC Rebels ‘Traitors’, Dares Rivals To ‘Kill Me’ As Party Split DeepensKedarnath-Badrinath Donation Row: Cong Questions BJP, Temple Committee Launches ProbeJ&K School Book Controversy: BJP, Civil Society Demand Probe Over Book Glorifying SeparatistsHAPS Explained: How India’s New High-Altitude Surveillance Aircraft Will Boost Defence CapabilitiesDelhi Court Reserves Order On Umar Khalid, Sharjeel Imam’s Fresh Bail Pleas In Riots CaseSTORY GOVT DEBUNKS E20 FUEL MYTHS 10-POINT CLARIFICATIONFresh Blow To Mamata Camp As Bengal Chief Quits During Intensifying TMC Power Struggle123Photostories8 things children secretly wish parents knewFoods Indians eat today that actually arrived from other countries: 8 everyday staples with global originsEx-Microsoft executive coach shares 5 phrases to easily disagree with your boss, claims they earn respect and trustWhy rainy days create some of childhood’s happiest memories, according to psychologyEver wondered why every loaf of bread has two end slices? 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