"Somewhere beyond, the earth shuddered, as if acknowledging the truth spoken between man and god."

READ CHAPTER ONE HERE:

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1AK11Fm-puR7C0qfHP5n-es8nJf2QeyDI/edit?usp=sharing&ouid=102989240245483763978&rtpof=true&sd=true

HAVELI: Bringing a Three-Year Literary Journey to Readers

After three years of research, writing, and revision, my debut novel is ready for its final stage—professional editing that will bring this story to the readers who need it.

HAVELI is an 83,000-word work of mythic realism that follows Mann Singh Rajput across five decades, from the 1960s through the 2010s. At its heart are philosophical conversations between Mann and Yama, the Hindu God of Death, exploring questions of dharma, identity, and belonging that have no easy answers.

It's a South Asian queer narrative woven through Hindu mythology, set against the backdrop of changing India and the diaspora experience. This is a novel about what it means to be caught between worlds—between tradition and transformation, duty and desire, the life you're given and the one you must create.

My Background

I'm a textile researcher and author with expertise in South Asian cultural traditions. I served as Research Associate at the International Quilt Museum at University of Nebraska Lincoln and authored Quilts of India: Timeless Textiles. I'm currently documenting vanishing textile traditions in Nepal. This deep engagement with South Asian material culture informs every page of HAVELI.

What Your Support Funds

• Line Editing ($1,500): Professional line editing to refine prose, strengthen dialogue, and ensure consistency across five books

• Final Proofreading ($300): Catching errors before publication to deliver a polished, professional product

• Advanced Review Copies ($200): Printing and mailing copies to reviewers and book bloggers to build early awareness

Total Goal: $2,000

What Happens Next

With your support, I'll complete professional editing by spring 2026 and finalize the manuscript with glossaries of Hindi/Urdu/Sanskrit terms. A professionally edited manuscript opens doors—whether through traditional publishing or independent release. Either path, the goal is the same: bringing HAVELI to readers who need this story.

Why This Story Matters

South Asian queer narratives grounded in Hindu philosophy are rare in literature. HAVELI doesn't shy away from complexity—it embraces it. It asks readers to sit with questions about duty, desire, mortality, and identity. It's a story I wrote because I wanted to explore the place where dharma and desire intersect. I needed to read it, and believe others might also.

Your contribution isn't just funding editing—it's supporting a vision of literature that makes space for stories outside the mainstream, for voices that need to be heard, for narratives that trust the readers to consider 'wholeness' from an alternative perspective.

Thank you for considering support for this project. Whether you can contribute financially or simply share this campaign, every gesture helps bring HAVELI to the world.