Maryland Author S. D. Gowda Releases Sayadri, a Young Adult Fantasy Rooted in Southern Indian Mythology

OLNEY, Md., October 16, 2026 — Maryland author S. D. Gowda has released Sayadri: A Young Adult Mythological Fantasy, a novel for readers ages twelve and older that draws upon the folklore, mythology and rainforested landscapes of southwestern India.

Following the sudden death of their mother, three sisters from Maryland travel to India to visit their grandparents. When one of them vanishes, the other two cross into a time-slipped world that is at once familiar and uncanny. Their search leads them through a sentient land shaped by ancient grudges, prophetic witches, medieval rivalries, a formless trickster, assassins, shapeshifters and vengeful spirits.

Although Sayadri is an adventure rooted in fantasy and mythology, the novel also explores the experience of belonging to more than one place and culture. Its young characters confront the pull of memory, the weight of obligation and the tension between leaving and returning. Their journey raises broader questions about family, identity, grief and what people owe to the communities and natural environments they call home.

“I wanted the landscape to be more than a backdrop,” Gowda said. “In Sayadri, the natural world sees, remembers, and responds. As the sisters struggle with loss and divided loyalties, they begin to understand that caring for the world beyond themselves can also become a path toward healing.”

Gowda drew inspiration from the storytelling traditions and ecology of the rainforested highlands of southern India, including their rare forests, rivers and ancient Myristica swamps. The novel brings those influences together with the experiences of young people growing up between cultures in the United States.

Sayadri: A Young Adult Mythological Fantasy was published by Sayridge Media on October 16, 2026. It is available in paperback, hardcover, and Kindle editions. U.S. bookstores and libraries can order the print editions through Ingram’s distribution network.