A feminist organisation on Saturday celebrated the publication of the 100th edition of a magazine that has, for decades, provided a platform for women’s voices, emotions, creativity, resistance and survival — in their own words.
Prayas, launched in 1998, is now carried forward by nine women who carry unanswered questions, untold pain, struggles and hope.
Some of them first came to the organisation while seeking support during difficult phases of their lives.
Through Prayas, women write and express themselves. Some are confident writers; others are not. Yet they write all the same.
Personal experiences may be private, but they can also resonate with readers who find themselves in similar circumstances.
“Not everyone is a prolific writer, but they write or even draw because they want to express themselves and share their stories and emotions,” said Barnali Basu, a member of the editorial board of Prayas.
Over its 31-year journey, Swayam has advocated for and championed women’s rights, both within their marital families and their natal homes. It has created spaces of support, solidarity, resistance and empowerment for women across society.
“Prayas became a space where women could speak in their own voice and reclaim their stories,” said a member.
The 100th edition, Ekshoe Amra, published on Saturday, features several powerful pieces from the magazine’s 25-year archive.
“The 100th edition is a huge achievement, especially for women who did not begin as professional writers but carried that belief. Every year, we try to involve more women, and it is meaningful and powerful when women find their voices,” said Swayam director Amrita Dasgupta.
The writing has evolved over the years, Dasgupta said.
“When women first began writing, they focused largely on their own sorrow and struggles. Today, they have expanded their gaze to include others and the wider community. They are writing about social issues like climate change and dowry. The women have excelled,” she said.
Published four times a year, Prayas prints around 10,000 copies annually.
The magazine serves both as a tool for women’s empowerment and as a vehicle for awareness.
“When you write, you open yourself up. It is motivating not only for those whose work is published, but also for those who read it,” Dasgupta said.
The contributors are women who have faced violence in different forms. Some took years to emerge from the trauma, which had become so ingrained in their lives that they began to normalise it.
One woman, a regular contributor to Prayas since 2023, said she had forgotten that she loved to write.
“After being subjected to domestic violence by my husband, I lost touch with many things I once enjoyed. Writing was one of them. It took me 15 years to leave an abusive marriage, and when I did, I realised how much I loved writing, but I had completely suppressed within myself,” she said.