Swayambhu
Graphic Novel
Script Writing
Naming
Illustration
Storytelling
Swayambhu is an ongoing graphic novel series I’m building with deep love, not just for storytelling, but for the emotional truths hidden inside Indian mythology. Inspired by the Ashtavinayak Yatra, the sacred journey to eight temples of Lord Ganesha, the story follows Gajesh, a curious boy who sets out to learn the stories of these holly places. But what he finds is much more human. He meets 8 strangers, each unknowingly living a value that mirrors Ganesha's divine forms - courage, devotion, peace, perseverance...Through their stories, Gajesh, and the reader begins to see that gods don’t only live in temples. They live in people.
Swayambhu
Swayambhu
In Progress
In Progress
Graphic Novel
Script Writing
Naming
Illustration
Storytelling
Graphic Novel
Script Writing
Naming
Illustration
Storytelling
Swayambhu is an ongoing graphic novel series I’m building with deep love, not just for storytelling, but for the emotional truths hidden inside Indian mythology. Inspired by the Ashtavinayak Yatra, the sacred journey to eight temples of Lord Ganesha, the story follows Gajesh, a curious boy who sets out to learn the stories of these holly places. But what he finds is much more human. He meets 8 strangers, each unknowingly living a value that mirrors Ganesha's divine forms - courage, devotion, peace, perseverance...Through their stories, Gajesh, and the reader begins to see that gods don’t only live in temples. They live in people.
Swayambhu is an ongoing graphic novel series I’m building with deep love, not just for storytelling, but for the emotional truths hidden inside Indian mythology. Inspired by the Ashtavinayak Yatra, the sacred journey to eight temples of Lord Ganesha, the story follows Gajesh, a curious boy who sets out to learn the stories of these holly places. But what he finds is much more human. He meets 8 strangers, each unknowingly living a value that mirrors Ganesha's divine forms - courage, devotion, peace, perseverance...Through their stories, Gajesh, and the reader begins to see that gods don’t only live in temples. They live in people.
Client
Client
Client
Self-initiated
Self-initiated
Self-initiated
Services
Services
Services
Graphic Novel Illustration Storytelling
Graphic Novel Illustration Storytelling
Graphic Novel Illustration Storytelling
Industries
Industries
Industries
Publication
Publication
Publication
Date
Date
Date
Mar 2024
Mar 2024
Mar 2024
Purpose
Purpose
Purpose
The purpose of Swayambhu is to reimagine how Indian mythology can be felt, not just told. As a visual storyteller and a believer in the emotional depth of our culture, I wanted to create something that could speak to children not through instruction, but through reflection. We are more alike than different. Everyone deserves to be seen, respected, and treated with kindness, because divinity doesn’t live far away. It lives in us, around us, and especially in the people we often overlook. This graphic novel is my way of making mythology meaningful again, for young readers, for parents, and for anyone who believes stories can gently change the way we see each other.
The purpose of Swayambhu is to reimagine how Indian mythology can be felt, not just told. As a visual storyteller and a believer in the emotional depth of our culture, I wanted to create something that could speak to children not through instruction, but through reflection. We are more alike than different. Everyone deserves to be seen, respected, and treated with kindness, because divinity doesn’t live far away. It lives in us, around us, and especially in the people we often overlook. This graphic novel is my way of making mythology meaningful again, for young readers, for parents, and for anyone who believes stories can gently change the way we see each other.
The Place behind story
Geographical Significance
The Place behind story
Geographical Significance
The Place behind story
Geographical Significance
Every chapter of Swayambhu ends with a closer look at the real town, people, and temple where the story is set. This is not just about mythology, it’s about where myth lives, breathes, and welcomes you today. In Chapter 1, we visit Morgaon, home to the Moreshwar temple, the starting point of the Ashtavinayak Yatra.
Every chapter of Swayambhu ends with a closer look at the real town, people, and temple where the story is set. This is not just about mythology, it’s about where myth lives, breathes, and welcomes you today. In Chapter 1, we visit Morgaon, home to the Moreshwar temple, the starting point of the Ashtavinayak Yatra.
Each Temple
Each Story
The structure
Each Temple
Each Story
The structure
Each Temple
Each Story
The structure
There are 8 sacred temples of Lord Ganesha in Maharashtra, the Ashtavinayak.
Each one holds a story.
Each one reveals a divine quality.
But what if those stories weren’t just in the idols?
What if they were alive, in people?
There are 8 sacred temples of Lord Ganesha in Maharashtra, the Ashtavinayak.
Each one holds a story.
Each one reveals a divine quality.
But what if those stories weren’t just in the idols?
What if they were alive, in people?
Volume 1 – Mayureshwar
Prologue
1st Destination
Volume 1 – Mayureshwar
Prologue
1st Destination
Volume 1 – Mayureshwar
Prologue
1st Destination
Gajesh, a curious boy on the Ashtavinayak journey, travels to Morgaon. On the bus, he meets Amit More, a quiet retired army officer. Through their conversation, Amit shares the story of Mayureshwar Ganesha, who defeats the demon Sindhu.
As they reach the temple, Gajesh begins to understand that real courage can be quiet and steady. The chapter ends with Gajesh sketching the temple, reflecting on what he’s learned.
Gajesh, a curious boy on the Ashtavinayak journey, travels to Morgaon. On the bus, he meets Amit More, a quiet retired army officer. Through their conversation, Amit shares the story of Mayureshwar Ganesha, who defeats the demon Sindhu.
As they reach the temple, Gajesh begins to understand that real courage can be quiet and steady. The chapter ends with Gajesh sketching the temple, reflecting on what he’s learned.
The core
The Heart of Swayambhu
Climax
The core
The Heart of Swayambhu
Climax
The core
The Heart of Swayambhu
Climax
At the end of his journey (Last destination & 8th book of the series), Gajesh arrives at Ranjangaon, the temple of Mahaganapati.
He walks in quietly, carrying every story, every face, every feeling from his travels.
And then he sits. In front of the idol.
Arms open.
Not to ask.
But to accept.
A stillness surrounds him, and in that stillness, something grand appears.
He sees Ganesha - not as one, but with ten heads.
Eight are the faces of the people he met along the way.
Each one who gave him a story, a truth, a part of themselves.
The ninth is Ganesha himself.
And the tenth… is Gajesh.
In that moment, he understands:
“Ganesha isn’t just someone I found.
He’s someone I’ve carried.
In them. In me. In us.”
This final scene becomes the soul of "Swayambhu", a quiet revelation that belief, humanity, and divinity are never separate.
At the end of his journey (Last destination & 8th book of the series), Gajesh arrives at Ranjangaon, the temple of Mahaganapati.
He walks in quietly, carrying every story, every face, every feeling from his travels.
And then he sits. In front of the idol.
Arms open.
Not to ask.
But to accept.
A stillness surrounds him, and in that stillness, something grand appears.
He sees Ganesha - not as one, but with ten heads.
Eight are the faces of the people he met along the way.
Each one who gave him a story, a truth, a part of themselves.
The ninth is Ganesha himself.
And the tenth… is Gajesh.
In that moment, he understands:
“Ganesha isn’t just someone I found.
He’s someone I’ve carried.
In them. In me. In us.”
This final scene becomes the soul of "Swayambhu", a quiet revelation that belief, humanity, and divinity are never separate.
Panels of Mayureshwar
Panels of Mayureshwar
Panels of Mayureshwar
In Progress
In Progress
In Progress