Battle for Kauthig Puts Uttarakhand’s Celebrations in Disarray in Mumbai.
Kauthig is a traditional celebration of Uttarakhand and a celebratory mela event outside the state. It has become the battleground for a fierce dispute over rights in Navi Mumbai. In a not-so-surprising turn of events, two separate event entities claiming to represent the essence and original/actual Kauthig have emerged, leading to a copyright and ownership clash.
Traditionally a unifying celebration for villages in Uttarakhand, Kauthig in Navi Mumbai has been an annual event for the last 15 years. However, for the first time, a challenger ( or a fragment of the earlier team) in Navi Mumbai announced an event- with the same name- logo and dates, triggering a power struggle which the community could really do without- and forcing the original organisers to re-schedule their event to march 2024.
I have nothing much to do with it. I may not even be attending it- and many of you outside Mumbai- may have even less to do with the event at Navi Mumbai. However, I could not stop commenting on what was happening because regardless of whatever happens, the community stands to lose the most from this internal strife.
The Claimed Original Kauthig.
Mr Bist claims a set of creative and socially inclined people from uttarakhand developed KAUTHIG. It is a thought and a moment with a standing and following. Kauthig 2024 dates (7th-28th January) were announced on the last day of Kauthig 2023. A recent update from Mr Keshar Singh Bist claims ownership of the event Logo and claims that a legal notice has been sent to the new group- it definitely intensified the battle.
Did the Challenger Misappropriate Kauthig Navi Mumbai?
In comes the apparent challenger with power. As per Mr Bisht, this powerful challenger, not bothered by ethical and moral aggression and misappropriation of someone’s intellectual rights, announced kauthig- forcing Mr Bist to shift the event to March 2024.
I wonder if the breakaway group considers themselves the real owner of the moment. Thematic difference- emotional hurt- procedural questions! I am not sure of the reality or the repercussions. But something is wrong, and one of the two is taking advantage.
The question arises: Can someone copyright kauthig?
It is a part of the language and culture of Uttarakhand- a commonly used term. A term leveraged by multiple organisations. The Kauthig Foundation, established in 2007, faces challenges as other entities have used the term in different contexts.
Instances of similar celebrations like Fyunli Kauthig, Uttarayani Kauthig, and Maha Kauthig Mela further complicate the trademark argument. However, protecting Kauthig’s identity may require a location-based or objective-specific prefix or suffix.
POST SCRIPT
There is a need to emphasise the need for moral and ethical considerations. We welcome events inspired by Kauthig, they should differentiate themselves properly. We could have avoided the clash between the two groups with better advisories and protective measures.
In Mumbai, both the Kauthig Foundation and DevBhoomi Sports claim to be the right representative and are organizing Kauthig in Navi Mumbai. The suggestion would be for the state to restrict people from further commoditising the term and restrict the use of KAUTHIG independently without a geo or organization reference like KAUTHIG FOUNDATION KAUTHIG or DEVBHOOM KAUTHIG.
It should should encourage Uttarakhand residents to integrate with events and support the associations, strengthening the community’s ties and avoiding future conflicts.
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