I am too told to read Harry Potter. I was too told to read the series the first time I attempted to read it thirteen years ago.

During this Eid-ul-Fitr, my brother asked me to read it. I refused.

He insisted. I told her that last time I tried, I had to give it up after 49 pages. The fact that I still remember it, implies two things. One, I have awesome memory (masha’allah). Secondly, it was that boring. Oh wait, third point just came to my mind. Everytime there is a discussion among book-lovers, this title obviously comes up and I end up narrating the story to explain why I haven’t.

He suggested that I read it in Urdu. Perhaps that would make it more appealing. “Language was not the problem. Content was. It just isn’t my thing.

He went ahead and downloaded the pdf versions on my laptop. I chose to ignore that folder.

He threatened to stop reading my books if I didn’t.

And that’s why I read it.

*==*==*

Book 1: Harry Potter Aur Paras Pathhar Ka Raaz (Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone)

Since I had abandoned the English book more than a decade ago, this time I thought of giving Urdu translation a try. The one I read was translated by Javed Muazzam Bukhari.

I liked the book, although I don’t fancy fantasy much. The book, even with the word-to-word translation, is very well written. almost throughout the book I could always read the english equivalent.

What a remarkable world she has created. No wonder people are crazy about Potter. Although I have understood that I should read it in english. Her own words would add more to the impact it had on me.

*==*==*

And with that, I joined millions of others.

I have not tracked it on Goodreads yet, for this edition was not found and I was too lazy to add it.

Does anybody have it and lend it to me for reading?

Shabana Mukhtar

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