Gourav Mohanty

🙌🏻

What Stephen King did not speak of in "On Writing" was how writing full time is an incredibly lonely affair. Having colleagues to take breaks with, vent over lunches and go for a drink after a particularly moronic day is an underrated blessing that makes toil, tolerable.

t.co/T4vEcvQSPD

Six years ago, I sent hopeful emails into the void, dreaming of a world where Indian fantasy had its moment. Where a book like mine could spark the same Reddit threads I devoured for ASOIAF.

Today, that dream speaks. I'm doing an AMA on r/Fantasy now.

Mother of Manifestations! (Link below)

I can only hope I have been able to do justice to their art and dance in the book. If you would like to know more of their world through the medium of fiction, I hope you will give Dance of Shadows, a chance :)

The cultural apathy of the British led them to categorise all the Devadasis as pr*s*itutes and they outlawed the practice. Devadasis now had no means of survival. These women, who dedicated their lives to the arts, were reduced to beggars and night walkers in the 1880s, and soon became extinct.

-the power that temples held in society started to decline because of lack of patronage. This meant that devadasis now had restricted freedoms and their jobs weren't considered dignified. Yet, the true end of their livelihood came not with conquerors but with a company, the East India Company.

Only the priests had authority over them but since these women were considered incarnations of goddesses in the flesh and brought wealth, they weren't subjected to strict rules. They were trained in all 64 arts of the Nritya and were accomplished dancers and singers. But with Islamic invasions -

Devadasis were considered to be a mark of prosperity of a temple. They earned their living by performing in palaces for Maharajas and wealthy patrons. Independent in ways few women of their time could be, they had the agency to raise their children, living at the crossroads of power, art, and faith.

The “Dance” in DANCE OF SHADOWS is a tribute to the Devadasi protagonist in the book - Meenakshi.

But who were Devadasis?

Devadasis of Medieval India (Servant-Wives of Gods) is a lost legacy of temple dancers who were cast down into poverty and exploitation by colonial cruelty
#WomensHistoryMonth

Woohoo! #BookMail is 5 stars today.
Sons of Darkness was an epic read last year, really looking forward to diving into the sequel.

@gouravmohanty.bsky.social #DanceofShadows
@thebrokenbinding.bsky.social #BookSky
@headofzeus.bsky.social

India has a core belief principle called Atithi Devo Bhava from the Taittiriya Upanishad, Shikshavalli I.11.2 (6 Century BCE). It means "Guest is God". Felt relevant today.

march you will be good to me (threateningly)

Thank you so much, David 🙏🏻

#DanceOfShadows is here ⚔️

The second instalment in @gouravmohanty.bsky.social's Indian-inspired epic fantasy series publishes TODAY! Ancient foes awake, bitter enemies reconcile, old friends swear to destroy each other…

bit.ly/45VNY19

IT'S MY BOOK BIRTHDAY TODAY... ARE YOU READY TO BREATHE BLOOD?

Just a dramatic way of saying my 🇮🇳 Wodehousian Epic Fantasy is making its way into the world along with my cursed children: the Librarian Princess, the Pirate Queen, the Knight & the Archer!

Hope they light lanterns along your spine

Got some GORGEOUS book mail from headofzeus.bsky.social yesterday, both Sons of Darkness and Dance of Shadows (which comes out next week). I was fortunate enough to meet @gouravmohanty.bsky.social in Scotland last summer, and can't wait to dive into these.

Also, look at all that SWAG 😍

I finished the book hugely impressed with Mohanty’s debut.

Read Will’s full review in the comments!

REVIEW: Sons of Darkness by Gourav Mohanty A great joy in Sons of Darkness is that Mohanty has taken the grimdark genre he loves and reoriented it to center on the Indian stories at the heart of his world building.

Full review: www.grimdarkmagazine.com/review-sons-...

INTERNATIONAL GIVEAWAY!

I am celebrating Republic Day by giving away a signed hardback of my dark fantasy book — DANCE OF SHADOWS.

RULES
⚔️Follow and Repost on Bsky
🪷Comment what you're looking forward to most in the book: Heists, Plagues, Librarian Princess, Devadasis, Pirate Queen or Gladiators?

The House of the Dragon meets Succession in an epic reimagining of the Mahabharata

Some ballads are inked in blood...

'Sons of Darkness' by Gourav Mohanty.

@bloomsburybooksuk.bsky.social
@shalimarbooks.bsky.social

#Mahabharata #southasian #fiction

On 25th February' 25, Gourav Mohanty unleashes the second instalment in the delicously desi and gloriously grim Raag of Rta series 🔥

Preorder Dance of Shadows now, let the passion spread. This Valentine's, paint your bookshelf bloodred ❤️

@headofzeus.bsky.social

A book titled "Dance of Shadows" by Gourav Mohanty, featuring a vivid red and black cover design with intricate patterns and a central figure engaged in a fighting stance.

ICYMI, this week we showed off the beautiful finished copies of #DanceOfShadows by Gourav Mohanty 😍

There's only three months to go until the next instalment in the epic #SonsOfDarkness series is here ⚔️

Pre-order now: bit.ly/3V9Zh1s

Putting your book on Netgalley is basically inviting Cannes Critics to judge your film before the curtains even rise.

Beyond grateful for the screaming ovation (so far).

Special edition of Dance of Shadows in red and black with gloss cover featuring Nataraja on its splayed edges along with the author Gourav Mohanty wearing a red kurta against a white background in a professional photograph

The TBB Edition of Dance of Shadows blesses its edges with Nataraja (Shiva): the divine cosmic dancer of Hinduism whose dance, the tandava, seeks to release the souls of all men from illusion.

Limited signed copies at: t.co/4JfEIzoKcT

📸: @ranvirdeb.bsky.social
🖌️@thebrokenbinding.bsky.social

🌚 Tiktok used to be Musically for us.

Starting 2025 with my sketch of Vahura: the Librarian Princess from Dance of Shadows

A girl built from the wreckage of her heart, she is tasked to steal secrets from death witches and thieves' guilds to save the world from an ancient plague.

But there is no one to guide her, and it is dark again.

That is an honour, Matt- thank you ! I hope the ending sticks :)

It has taken me a while due to stop/start physical book reading, but finally nearing the end. Probably tied with The Tainted Cup for my favourite read this year

Thank you @fantasybookcritic.bsky.social for bringing me here. Looking forward to a feed that I ACTUALLY signed up for.