With offers, discounts and events, Harry Potter mania descended on bookstores throughout India with the release today of J K Rowling's much-awaited fifth instalment, Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix. Predictably, the metros are mostly in the grip of Pottermania as that is where the readers are.

Rowling's earlier books -- Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone, Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, and Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire -- were also great draws, though bookstore owners agree that the first and fourth were most popular.

With advertising and marketing at an all-time high and Internet access available to many children in the metros, Harry Potter has become something of a household name. Bookstores are aware of this and are trying to reap the benefit.

The Oxford Bookstore in Mumbai, which got more than 1,000 'pre-orders', has ordered more than 6,000 copies of the latest Harry Potter. Deepa Dey, director, said, "We are offering a discount of 20 per cent online through www.oxfordbookstore.com and free gifts are being given out with purchases in Calcutta and Mumbai. We are also hosting special events and activities."

Interestingly, Dey pointed out, the pre-release orders were higher for The Goblet of Fire, though that book did not do as well as expected. So far the best sale has been recorded by The Philosopher's Stone. (But an agency report said Penguin India expects The Order of the Phoenix to set a new record and sell at least 1,00,000 copies. The publisher said initial orders themselves added up to as many as 60,000 copies.)

There is unbelievable excitement among children, Dey said. "Readers have been waiting to lay their hands on the book. The marketing machinery has created a worldwide hype, which will certainly impact sales."

Virat Chandok, manager of the Lotus Book Shop in suburban Bandra, said there is a lot more awareness among the public about Harry Potter. Every day the store has been receiving 10-15 calls inquiring about the book.

Lotus is selling the book at the normal price of Rs 795. The reason for the high cost is the increased number of pages, 896. The last book, The Goblet of Fire, had 734. But though the store is offering no concession, it is fairly confident of making a good sale. Its initial order was for 100 copies and it will keep reordering according to demand.

Chandok believes public awareness has been heightened because many readers have already read the first four books and were eagerly awaiting the fifth.

Reader's Paradise, in Mumbai's posh Breach Candy locality, has a strong regular clientele and has ordered 300 copies. The store has not organised any special events, but a huge poster of the book's cover does grace its front. The shop has also increased its customers' awareness by distributing pamphlets about the book release.

The earlier Harry Potter books recorded good sales at Granth (in suburban Goregaon), but the store is looking forward to even better sales for The Order of the Phoenix. Granth's manager Dimple told rediff.com, "We booked 300 copies of the fifth book. There have been lots of bookings. Many children have been coming with their parents and making bookings, because we are offering the book at a price of Rs 596 [25 per cent less] and getting it home-delivered."

Dimple said there has been a slight increase in demand for the earlier books as well. The older versions are now available in paperback only, while the latest one is in hardcover. That's why the price difference looks even bigger.

In Chennai, Landmark, one of Asia's largest bookstores, started promoting The Order of the Phoenix online two months ago. It even put up the book jacket with arbitrary prices of around Rs 500. Then Penguin, the publisher, informed the store that the hardcover edition would be priced Rs 795. So Landmark is now selling the book at a discount of 10%.

The Head of Operations at Landmark, Venkitakrishnan, who has been watching the trends relating to the Harry Potter books, believes that mid-2002 onwards sales declined somewhat. But there is great enthusiasm among children for the latest book. Also, the hype around it has brought newer readers who are keen to catch up with the earlier editions.

Besides its shops in Chennai and Kolkata, Landmark has an online store in collaboration with Satyam Infoway. As a result it has ordered a whopping 10,000 copies. Its offline promotion in Chennai started nearly two weeks ago with posters and e-mails to existing customers.

In the capital New Delhi, Pottermania is not so widespread. The owner of Galgotia Book Shop, Ajay Galgotia, said they ordered 200 copies and are not offering any discounts. He said not only children but parents too are interested in the new book. "In fact people of all ages are interested," he said.

Galgotia said he did not see the need to plan any special events "because there is already too much demand".

Rakesh Chandra of the New Book Depot ordered 250 copies as the response for all Harry Potter books so far has been encouraging. Bookworm at Connaught Place, which was also booking copies in advance, ordered 300 copies. This store too did not plan any event. "The launch of the book itself is an event," Bookworm's Praneel Arora said.

Predictably, Midland at South Extension – a posh Delhi locality – ordered 1000 copies and is offering a standard 20 per cent discount. But they too are basking in the existing publicity and have not organised any special event.

The scene in Kolkata is that of jubilation. A booklover's paradise, the city lives up to its reputation, whether at a decently priced shop like Kwality Book Company in New Alipore or a mega bookstore like Landmark in Park Street.

N Bhattacharya, manager of Kwality, said his store had ordered 50 copies, and he was quite certain they would be sold out within a few days. A huge poster of The Order of the Phoenix adorns the front of his shop. Kwality is offering no discount, but is assured of a fixed clientele of Harry Potter readers. For that same reason, the store has not felt the need for any special events either.

But the Kolkata branch of Landmark was a centre of activity for the young for more than a week before the launch. Manager Bernard Shah said quiz sessions were organised based on the earlier Harry Potter books. Every child with the right answer got a gift hamper.

Still more fun awaited those deft with colours and pencils. Children were asked to draw and paint their favourite characters from the books. Again, there were gifts for all participants.

The store is also full of Harry Potter merchandise like pens, caps, and various other items. Like Oxford, it organized a magic show and a fun party. The store initially ordered 500 copies of the latest Harry Potter, but expects to be placing another order soon, since it had received as many as 300 pre-release orders. The last time it had sold 1,000 copies of The Goblet of Fire.

Buy your copy of Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix at the rediff.com book store.