This multi-format print publication is dedicated to archiving the matriarchal lineages of India. By documenting the lives of our grandmothers, we aim to return these narratives to the centre of cultural dialogue, right where they have always belonged. In support of this vision, a portion of the proceeds will be directed towards meaningful philanthropic initiatives.

We invite contributors of all backgrounds to help us build this archive. We welcome non-fiction stories that are specific, rigorous, and compelling, and we encourage submissions from voices that have been historically marginalised, underrepresented, or excluded from mainstream history.

Submission Guidelines

FORMATS & APPROACH

Submissions do not need to follow a traditional essay format. We welcome both detailed pitches and completed non-fiction drafts in formats such as long and short-form essays, photo essays, illustrated narratives, archival texts, interviews, and object- or document-led narratives.

Experimental literary styles are encouraged, as long as the core is a sustained non-fiction narrative supported by visual or archival material. This might include annotated recipes, collections of letters or diary fragments, photographs and ephemera, object-based micro-histories, or layered compositions of text, images, footnotes, and interviews.

We do not accept opinion pieces, fiction, time-bound reportage, book manuscripts or academic analysis.

HOW TO SUBMIT

Send your submission to grandmothers@lurumagazine.com

with subject line: [Luru Special Project_Proposed Story Headline]

Please submit your pitch in Google Docs (maximum 1,500 words), download it as a .docx file, and attach it to your email. If you do not use Google Docs, you may submit a .docx file prepared in another word processor.

Begin with a strong opening line that draws us in. We want to smell the camphor, hear the glass bangles, and feel the worn silk.

We love our grandmothers, but we are not looking for portraits that describe her only as “selfless,” “pure,” “sweet,” “loving,” or “wise.” We are interested in a multidimensional woman who exists beyond the role of “grandmother.”

Describe how you plan to report the story. This could be through the history of her favourite chair, a series of letters she wrote but never sent, her secret stash of romance novels, or another organising logic. Include a brief outline or map of how the story’s fragments connect.

Close with a short bio (2–3 lines) and include links or attachments to two writing samples that demonstrate your experience with long-form or character-driven narrative.

Every submission must include at least one clear, high-resolution photograph of your grandmother.

OPTIONAL PROMPTS

You may use one of the prompts below as a starting point for your submission. These are optional entry points. Choose only one and keep your response to a maximum of 400 words.

How do you want her to be remembered? Write a short, focused reflection.

Tell us about the most "her" thing in the house. Is it a half-filled crossword? A specific tin of Tiger Balm? A stack of old receipts she refused to discard? Tell us the history of this object and why it holds her essence.

What are the difficult parts of her that you see in yourself? Tell us about the “bad” qualities inherited — the stubbornness, the sharp tongue, the petty habits, the small tyrannies. We’re interested in pieces that can be funny, unsentimental, and even a little unkind, as long as they’re honest.

Every grandmother has a story she tells over and over. Record her telling it in her own voice, in whatever language she feels most comfortable. Alongside the recording or transcript, add a short text note to give context — where and when she told it and why this story matters to her.

Examples of Stories We Love

The Hare With Amber Eyes

by Edmund de Waal

A great example of how a story can be structured through objects rather than chronology. Waal uses his family’s collection of Japanese netsuke to trace his family’s survival across generations. Think about how an object in your grandmother’s home might hold a similar history, and how you might let it structure the piece.

Profanity-Laced Tirade

By Sadie Stein

A funny, strange story about a 65-year-old woman who develops uncontrollable swearing after a stroke (a form of post-stroke aphasia and disinhibition). This is the tone we’re drawn to — older women as unruly, contradictory subjects.

By Cari Romm

This is an example of an interview format. The granddaughter literally tests a scientific study against her grandmother’s lived experience. We love this form of dialogue, where the grandmother debunks external narratives about ageing, gender, and happiness.

Women in Trees

By Jochen Raiß

A collection of vintage found photographs of women sitting in trees. We love it because it shows anonymous women in moments of pure joy, outside their roles in the home.

Submission Details

Your story can be rooted anywhere in India, from the bylanes of Bengaluru to the hills of Shillong. You will work closely with your subject to gather visual material and high-resolution documentation that supports the narrative. Our editorial team will provide guidance and remote technical support. You will lead the physical process of collecting, digitising, and assembling the archive.

We accept only original, unpublished work in English. This means the work must not have been published in print or by a recognised digital publication. Work shared previously on platforms such as Instagram, personal blogs, or newsletters is acceptable.

If you are submitting an original translation of work previously published in another language, please include a short cover letter outlining its publication history and ensure you have the necessary publishing rights from the writer or publisher.

Font: Arial, 12-point

Spacing: 1.3 line spacing

Margins: 1-inch margins on all sides

Alignment: Left-aligned; do not justify text

Language: UK English only. Use -ise and -our spellings (e.g., organise, colour).

File format: .doc or .docx

Visual assets: High-resolution images via Google Drive (include the link in your submission).

We seek contributions that demonstrate both narrative depth and archival rigour. A fixed honorarium of INR 15,000 will be awarded for each story selected for publication. Please note that this payment is processed only upon the formal acceptance of the final, completed draft by our editorial team.

Submissions are open from 24 February 2026 to 22 March 2026. Submissions received outside this window will not be considered.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

We welcome submissions from everyone. We are particularly interested in voices that are marginalised, underrepresented, and historically excluded from mainstream archives. You do not need a portfolio of previous work, though writing experience is a plus.

We aim to respond to all submissions within two months of receipt. Please note that we receive a significant number of submissions; if you do not hear from us after two months, please feel free to send a gentle nudge.

Yes. We accept pitches for interviews or conversations between the contributor and the subject, provided they offer deep insight into the subject.

Yes. This is a multimedia publication, and visual essays, archives, documents, and hybrid formats are strongly encouraged. However, all visual submissions must include some accompanying text to contextualise the images and set the tone for the piece. We are unable to consider image-only submissions.

We only publish original material, meaning first-ever publication. We cannot accept work that has been previously published in print or by a recognised digital publication. Work previously shared on personal platforms such as Instagram or blogs is acceptable. We may consider original translations of work published in another language, provided it has never appeared in English.

Yes. Length is flexible. However, please do not submit book manuscripts, novellas, or work exceeding 5,000 words, as we are unlikely to read beyond that.

The final length will depend on the format we arrive at. In most cases, it will not exceed 6,000 words.

Yes. If your work is accepted elsewhere, please reply to your original submission email to let us know immediately so we can withdraw it from consideration.

We receive a significant number of submissions, many of which may be unsuitable for our publication, however well written. For this reason, we are unable to provide individual editorial feedback. If selected, you will work closely with the Luru editorial team to develop the piece.

DEADLINE 22 March 2026

Submit

All photographs courtesy of M. Ananthalakshmi and M. Giridhar Krishna

Annual Subscription · 2026