Businessman turned author, Hamish Morjaria announced the acquisition of “The Harveen Gill Mysteries” under the publication company Pac Macmillan. It is a trilogy series rooted in ancient Indian history that blends conspiracy theories.
The Muziris Empire is the first book in the series and is slated for a summer 2024 publication. The Da Vinci Code meets The Magicians of Mazda in this enthralling alchemy of mythology, science, religion and cryptography, told across three interweaving perspectives, moving back and forth in time and set in present-day Kerala, which was once home to the ancient city of Muziris.
Talking to Asian Voice, Morjaria discusses South Asian history, cultural authenticity and representation of diversity in the UK's literary scene.
Can you tell us about your book and what are the key themes you have explored?
The Muziris Empire is the first of an edge-of-the-seat trilogy rooted in ancient Indian history that blends conspiracy theories and ancient secrets, as ambitious Indian archaeologist Dr Harveen Gill races to make the discovery of a lifetime.
Harveen leads her team of Indian archaeologists to the ruins of the lost empire of Muziris. Things come to a head when she makes an amazing discovery. In another part of the world, Don Clemente in Rome, soon-to-be-head of Santa Alleanza, a sacred alliance founded to safeguard the interests of the Vatican and the Papacy, is keenly watching the Indian team’s progress, for their next discovery could shake the very foundations of the Church. The book explores to what lengths will Don, a guardian of the Church, go to fetter the patrons of science. Will Harveen unearth the truth, or will she be forever silenced?
The narrative intricately weaves through remarkable chapters of Indian history, shedding light on lesser-known aspects from its era as a pivotal global trading hub. The book will be released by Pan Macmillan in May 2024.
How do you maintain cultural authenticity and historical facts while also taking creative liberties in your writing?
In my formative years, English, RE, Geography, and History lessons opened a gateway to the world—exploring English monarchs, Roman and Greek empires, and their cultural advancements. Despite a North London school with over half Asian pupils, my cultural background lacked representation. Decades later, helping my children, I found textbooks still lacking diversity. This led to the creation of the Muziris Empire story, aiming to introduce a more inclusive and diverse perspective to historical narratives.
While the primary characters in the book are fictional, the narrative grounds itself in factual accuracy by anchoring to real places and historical dates. Specifically, the portrayal of the port of Muziris remains steeped in historical authenticity, supported by documented evidence from sources like Pliny the Elder and trading documents such as the 'Muziris Papyrus.' Maintaining cultural authenticity holds paramount importance in my work, especially in portraying the interconnectedness of South Asians with the global community. As I endeavour to craft thrilling adventures, this remains a constant guiding principle, consistently at the forefront of my creative process.
How important is diversity and representation of South Asian voices in the UK's literary scene?
The representation of South Asian voices holds immense significance, particularly in shaping the understanding of our diaspora for the upcoming generation. It serves as a platform to inspire fellow South Asians to explore creative paths often overshadowed by conventional careers.
In the UK, there's an unprecedented surge in South Asian-authored books, offering diverse narratives across various genres. The rise of self-publishing and high-quality independent presses has contributed significantly to this proliferation. Notably, authors like Vaseem Khan, Kia Abdullah, and Abir Mukherjee have produced exceptional works, exemplifying the richness and diversity found within South Asian literature today. The critical necessity in this landscape is a monumental bestseller from a South Asian author. Until then, we will continue to see trauma stories that can be marketed for their diversity.
What challenges did you face while writing your debut book?
I came into this process thinking that the literary world would be easy to navigate and the most difficult part would be to write a good book. The facts are very different as publishing is still, in many ways, a very traditional process. The major publishers will only accept submissions from an agent, and the best agents are in high demand often receiving hundreds of manuscripts a week. Finding an agent to champion my project was the major challenge which required me to edit the original manuscript a several times.
In crafting this series, another primary challenge I encountered was the tendency for early drafts to immerse too deeply in the captivating historical context. My central aim in this project was to maintain utmost fidelity to historical facts while intricately weaving an engaging and thrilling narrative around them.