Incantations Over Water – By Sharanya Manivannan (Author & Illustrator)

Submerge yourself beneath the luminous, haunted depths of a coastal lagoon where ancient folklore serves as the ultimate sanctuary for memories fractured by decades of armed conflict. In Incantations Over Water, award-winning author Sharanya Manivannan makes an extraordinary debut as a graphic novelist, delivering an exquisite, visually breathtaking literary experience. Entirely hand-illustrated and written with spellbinding poetic cadence, this premium graphic novel functions as a deeply moving, screen-free exploration of ecological grief, cultural heritage, and the heavy, unvoiced traumas of the Sri Lankan Civil War.

The narrative is anchored in the geography of Mattakalappu (Batticaloa), Ilankai, where mysterious, melodic hums—historically known as the singing fish—traditionally emerge from the deep water on full moon nights. Folklore whispers that during the three decades of brutal civil war, these magical sounds ceased entirely, as if the water itself went mute from grief. Through these luminous pages, readers meet Ila, an ancient mermaid who has inhabited these lagoons for generations. Ila breaks her silence to sing and speak of her world, weaving together global mermaid mythology, deep eco-consciousness, and the stark, painful political realities of an island caught in the throes of violence. It stands as a mandatory reference and collectors' choice for enthusiasts of graphic literature, South Asian political fiction, and magical realism.

Rather than letting its intricate visual tapestries and historical weight merge into a standard format, Incantations Over Water coordinates its multi-layered themes across four stunning, scannable structural pillars: