April 2021

Thandavam

“We’ll be back soon,” as I called aloud, Easwari stepped over the threshold. “I so badly want to join you both and seek their blessings. But it so happens that I just cannot come with you. What can I do,” she

by Vannadasan

Empowerment

Giving A Voice To Women’s Mental Health

No Shame To Talk About Mental Illness A 2019 report by researchers from the University of Birmingham (the first UK cohort study looking at the associations between domestic abuse and mental illness) reported a “strong association” between exposure to intimate

by Marie

Fictional Arts·Literature

Feminism

The advocacy of equality Socio-political, economic, cultural, Radical to aesthetic And now intersectional In the enlightened 21st century Still laments for Qahat-ur-Rijal…

by Ayesha

Fictional Arts·Literature

A Whole New World

A WHOLE NEW WORLD ‘I can open your eyes Take you wonder by wonder Over, sideways and under On a magic carpet ride’ The tabletop fountain in the middle of the warm room calmed her down. Jasmine took a deep breath

by Abira Kannan

Fictional Arts·Literature

From An Old Book

It must have washed up on the shore from the river that dead body. Someone had arranged death for him. The dead man is walking from the shore towards me. It may take three more minutes for him to reach me.

by Nasbulla

Fictional Arts·Literature

Ultimatum

I think after a time you stop ageing and time itself enters a zone that is timeless Memories freeze somewhere in the thin air and thoughts are scrambled, losing logic There you move on a path between dying and death Uncertainty

by Mitra Samal

Fictional Arts·Literature

Frozen Harlequins

Crouching on the silent snow Touching the concealed grass below With fingers numbed and stiffened from Encounters with the frosty death, The women lift their vacant eyes To a mountain eagle in lonely skies, Each a frozen mannequin Sculpted form of

by Piku Chowdhury

Fictional Arts·Literature

A Cute Tale Of Mother’s Love

“Will she ever settle in one place and concentrate on learning?” An expression of worry marked Thalatha’s face. Her small, beautiful eyes with long lashes were sleepy. Her thick curly hair, long enough to fall to her waist, was messed

by Hasitha Adhikariarachchi

Fictional Arts·Literature

Twenty Three Lilies In The Ornamental Pond

“They disappear, They lose their minds, They commit suicide.” “No locusts will come a thousand miles away to devour sin.” 1 Once again, a great loss, but this time Ayya couldn’t bear it. It is equivalent to the pain out

by Karankarki

Fictional Arts·Literature

Two And A Half Knocks

It all started with a simple knock on the door. There was a rule in their locality that you would knock whenever you enter each other’s house. But the knock was unique. One has to knock two and a half times.

by Mir Basit

Fictional Arts·Literature

In The Name Of Blasphemy

It was her first day in the new office after being appointed as Deputy Commissioner. A critical district was assigned to her, with all new people well-articulated rather over-articulated both politically and religiously. It was the first time that a

by Aamir Habib

Fictional Arts·Literature

Thoughts of Color

The audacity of red Spluttering thoughts Like furious seeds of mustard Anxiously tread. A riot of knots Lurching in my head. Overriding the boundless blue skies Valor, pride and celebrations Colour red emphasize. Beyond these cultural connotations Red also implies Pain

by Soummya Prakash

Fictional Arts·Literature

One Magical Night

One Magical Night Down in the meadows: On the lustrous green, Sprawled beneath: In the shade of the old oak tree, Surrendered in my thoughts….. My eyes glimpsed: The sweet lilies bloom, Beside the gushing stream: Breathing the scented spray, Profound! As

by Yasomie Peiris

Fictional Arts·Literature

Leaf Whispers

I find him barefoot moon-silvered face tilted to forest canopy scrabbles luminous eyes in my torch beam. Now the lightning eastern sky stirs currawong chords breeze prickles bare skin. I shiver. the slap of his unclenched fist still stings,

by Marilyn Humbert

Cuisines·Food & Travel

A North American Woman’s Love For South Asian Food

I still remember a few months ago when I unexpectedly blurted out on a video call to Shameela, the editor of FemAsia, that I’d write this article. This came out right after I told her about the wonderful Sprouted

by Sue Griffey

Empowerment

Holi And Mary’s Boy Child – A Memory

It was Holi, a joyful and colourful Indian festival marking the arrival of the Spring harvest, celebrated with crowds of people joyfully rubbing powdered colour on the faces of friends and strangers, and sprinkling coloured water onto each other. Dancing in

by Kavita Ezekiel

Empowerment

Garden Meditation

“Everything that slows us down and forces patience; everything that sets us back into the slow circles of nature is a help. Gardening is an instrument of grace.” ~May Sarton. Our tiny backyard garden is a year-round source of peace and produce.Gardening

by Meera Klein

Fictional Arts·Literature

What’s Wrong With Us Kali Women

There’s nothing wrong. Nothing wrong. That’s your fear labelling us. We are the Kali women. And all other female, male, androgynous gods We don’t distinguish. We seek. We learn. Comprehend. Embrace. We are the Kali women. In the forefront, striding and, yes

by Anita Nahal

Fictional Arts·Literature

The Life Game

Where is my verse? In the atmosphere…? Hiding in snowy mountains? Or, blooming in an oasis? Maybe travelling in An unknown path… Where was my verse? Searched and found The words… Collected them in my Precious heart Along with blooming

by Thenmozhi Rajagopal

Empowerment

Breast-Ironing And Women’s Empowerment

It’s 2021, and breasts are in danger. We’ve always known that, but this is a danger like you’ve never heard before. To all the ways that women’s bodies are pillaged and plundered by patriarchy, add breast ironing. As another

by Nini Mappo

Empowerment

Some Fish Do Cry In The Land Of Singing Fish

After completing my PhD studies in Norway, the first research project that I involved in was geographically located in eastern Sri Lanka, which focused on ‘post-war recovery’. I was so enthusiastic about involving in the project. Wow!

by Fazeeha Azmi

Politics & Culture

Divorce – Still A Taboo For Women

She feels suffocated, but there is no way out. She feels violated, but she can’t leave. She is chained, but she can’t break the shackles. She is vulnerable. She is miserable. She is denied. She is disrespected. She is

by Nayab Iqbal

Politics & Culture

Bombay Cinemas- Not For Cultured Women

This International Women’s Day, we must celebrate the journey of all those women who pursued their dreams and ventured down the uncharted path in the Bombay cinemas. As I flipped through the pages of Durga Khote, Kanan Devi and

by Priyam Sinha

Empowerment

Single By Choice

The best way to live one’s life is to live with freedom. A life that is spent doing what we want, how we want, and being happy with our choices is the one with the least number of regrets. This definition

by Nazia Kamali

Editor's Note·Empowerment

Editor’s Note – She Transforms Technology

I believe in empowerment and specifically female empowerment. Despite the progress in women empowerment over the years, women find themselves unable to own their voice across the world. This is because/the discriminatory laws and social norms remain unchanged even today.

by Shameela Yoosuf Ali

Politics & Culture

Reform of Religious Communities- Need Of The Hour

Sri Lankan context and the dire need for Internal reform of religious communities Like every year, we celebrated our Independence Day on the 4th of February 2021. However, it was earned by our forefathers without much struggle from British rule. There were

by Rishard Najimudeen

Politics & Culture

Cameroon: Blood for Tears

“The women have been on the front lines calling for peace and an end to the conflict… and yet, the world is mostly silent.” I crawled into bed, ready for sleep after an exhausting day. But as I browsed the web on

by Arrey Echi

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