The first Nepali translation of Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone was published in May 2009. While there had previously been an unauthorised translation of the book published, in 2008 Sunbird Publishing House acquired the rights to produce an authorised translation for Nepali readers. A team of translators worked on the book—one senior journalist and two younger translators with a good understanding of the story—which was well reviewed.

Two editions of the Nepali translation were produced. Both are identical internally but one was produced on library quality paper while there was another cheaper version on lower quality paper which was aimed at children to read. Sunbird Publishing House had anticipated that the book would be snapped up by children around Kathmandu and libraries around the country—the reason for producing a library quality copy. Unfortunately, however, this wasn’t the case, the urban readers preferred to read the book in English and the Nepali translation didn’t sell well. The problem in rural Nepal—where Sunbird expected to sell the majority of the books—was that in Nepal many people believe in witchcraft and vicious attacks on women believed to be witches still happen frequently. They get accused of having caused sickness to their neighbours and to their livestock. As punishment they’re often made to eat faeces and expelled from the community or ostracised. As a result families and schools were reluctant to allow the Nepali translation of Harry Potter in their homes and schools. In a country where people are trying to reduce a belief in witchcraft, having a popular book seen by most of the world as being fictional and fantasy didn’t work.

As a result of this unfortunate miscalculation by the publishing house the Nepali translation of Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone has proved very difficult for Harry Potter translation collectors to acquire.