Indian comic book Priya’s Shakti - in pictures

Priya’s Shakti, a comic book created by New York-based Indian American documentary filmmaker Ram Devineni. Courtesy Ram Davineni

The storyline and artwork have been inspired by ancient mythological tales, and tell the story of Priya — a mortal woman and gang-rape survivor — and the Goddess Parvati as they fight against gender-based sexual violence. Courtesy Ram Davineni

The story, Ram Davineni says, “is symbolic of the action every rape survivor should take for her own sake”. Courtesy Ram Davineni

Priya’s Shakti is India’s first comic book with augmented reality available in both print and digital editions. Courtesy Ram Davineni

“It was important to let the world know the real stories of sexual violence. With the reasonably high prevalence of smartphones in India, augmented reality looked like the right choice for it,” says Devineni. Courtesy Ram Davineni

The dark figure is a man following Priya, looking for an opportunity to attack her. Courtesy Dan Goldman

The gods are Lord Shiva and his wife Goddess Parvati. Courtesy Dan Goldman

This is Ram Devineni, the creator of Priya’s Shakti. Courtesy Ram Davineni

Dan Goldman, the illustrator of Priya’s Shakti. Courtesy Ram Davineni

Street mural for the comic book. Courtesy Ram Davineni

In the comic book Priya's Shakti, the title character calls upon the goddess Parvati for help when her parents and society declare her an outcast after she is raped. Creator Ram Devineni decided to use Hindu mythology as the vehicle for his tale of gender violence and misogyny.