When Avradeep and I started Vayavya on 15th August last year, we did not know that we were actually planning to create a family (though a small one), a network of relationships which could go beyond cover-letters. We did not know any of it. All we knew was that there was a lack in the number of platforms in India that gave creative writers and artists an opportunity to publish their work and find a readership. Of course, there were few journals, but that exactly was the problem. They were very few. 

When we started Vayavya, it was on a modest Wordpress platform with few poems and write-ups requested, taken, selected, and even forcefully lifted-up from people we already knew. The issues were hugely untimed, and we hardly had any contacts, or the confidence, to solicit works from the writers. After all, two 20-somethings do not exactly fit the profile of a lit-mag masthead. Though quantity was never a problem, we looked for quality; we looked for stuff that could justify the very reason behind the creation of Vayavya. Nonetheless, the journey continued, and we were able to give Vayavya the much needed new site this summer. Everything was transferred from Wordpress to the new one, every contributor was given their own page, and a few decisions were made regarding the focus of the journal.

We decided that we’ll publish three issues in a year— spring, monsoon and winter— and we’ll publish six to twelve poets in every issue, depending on the number of submissions received. Waiting for several months to receive a decision is a troubling prospect, and it often happens that one waits for months only to receive a ‘no’ in the end. We understand the anxieties involved in the submission process, and hence, keep our response time under a week. Sometimes, we respond within hours of a submission. 

We care for our readers and the writers we publish, and believe in the communicative power of art. This has resulted in many friendships and associations. Few have become regulars, while few often help with the administrative aspect of the journal. I am grateful to them for sticking around with us always.

Coming to the current issue, we have got six poets; all of them contributing for the first time. A warm welcome to them!

Julie Watkins, Kylan Rice, Aruni Kashyap, Taiba Khan, Rizowana Hussaini, and Heller Levinson— we feel proud to have you around. Ujan Dutta returns with two of his new paintings— one of the many reasons to release the fifth issue on Diwali. He recently had a successful show in New Delhi and we feel honoured to have him on-board again.

Also, I must announce that Vayavya is currently looking for an Art/Photography Editor. If interested, send a mail to [email protected] introducing yourself and we’ll provide the required details. However, please note that Vayavya is a non-commercial journal and we don’t make money out of it. Rest assured, you’ll be treated well.

Finally, I hope you like this issue as much as I did while putting it forward for you.