Mumbai and the poems within

In a city that is said to be a melting pot of various cultures, there are surprisingly not many venues that host poetry readings. The scene, however, seems to be changing with spaces like A'Paul'ogy, The Hive and Starbucks at Horniman Circle opening their doors to encourage poetry lovers.

Started about a year back by Trupthi Shetty and Ankita Shah, The Poetry Club owes its origin to the high-priced literature dos in the city. "Shelling out Rs. 500 every weekend became difficult for us as students. Thus, we began our readings under the trees at the Kaifi Azmi Park. We wanted to ensure that nothing stops people from going out and exploring art in the city," says Shetty. Since then, The Poetry Club has graduated to venues that are willing to partner with them for readings. The unique aspect about The Poetry Club is that only poets are allowed here; they can exchange feedback or criticism, as each person reveals a little bit of their talent.
17-year-old college student Saranya Subramanian has enjoyed the transformation she has seen in herself post joining this club. The Prabhadevi resident shares, "At my first reading, I read what I believed was my best work. But the constructive feedback I received from everyone gave me new insight into my own work. Wanting to take up poetry writing professionally, these sessions have helped me immensely in finding my own voice in poetry."
27-year-old Goregaon resident Saurabh Jain discovered his flair for writing poems after he began attending such events in the city. "As a Hindi poet, my biggest learning from these meetings has been the exposure to other languages such as English, Urdu and Punjabi. I do not see language as a barrier, since it is easy to understand the feeling and maturity of the poet from the way they present their work. And over a few readings, you get to know the person fairly well. The feedback I get from everybody is also very encouraging, and often has prompted me to make positive changes in my style or expression."

Founded by poetry veteran Anjali Purohit, the motley group of Cappuccino Readings meets at Starbucks, Horniman Circle, which has been "kind enough to offer us its venue whenever we have a reading." Taking forward the poetry reading culture that began with Adil Jussawala's Loquations and the likes that were active in 70s Mumbai, Cappuccino Readings aims to make poetry more commonplace. "The format is to have two serious poets, yet not published, alongside four renowned ones. The audience thus enjoys an enriching experience," says Purohit.
Napean Sea Road resident Mona Doctor says, "It is a lovely concept that plants seeds in the minds of the audience. Being able to hear the poem read out by the creator himself gives one a better feel of the poem and enriches one's insight. It is great that there are platforms like this today, as most of the literature seems to be ignored in these times. Youngsters, especially, must be encouraged to be a part of such forums."
Andheri resident Dominic Alapat shares, "It is a very rewarding experience to listen to poets who can recite well, complete with voice modulation and tonality. It is one thing to read a poem, and another to be read to. I find it rather enchanting to discuss poetry at such forums, not just with fellow poets but also the non-poet audience."

Active in other cities, Poetry Couture is a recent entrant in Mumbai. And it has already gained popularity among the city's poetry aficionados. "We have two formats—one being the Poetic Adda that is open to all, and the other being Fresh Leaf Readings, which is about budding poets learning from established ones," says Raghavendra Madhu, Founder, Poetry Couture. While the first is an assorted group of individuals who come together to recite their work, the latter is aimed at students who can enjoy learning from stalwarts.
Priyanka Gupta, Mahalaxmi resident and Assistant Professor, Department of Sociology at KC College, says, "This platform has given me the opportunity to interact with renowned poets like Rochelle Potkar. In fact, I have been encouraging my students to attend such forums and gain from it. Such events are perfect to bond over literature."
Purohit beautifully sums up the collective thought when she shares, "The objective is that when somebody says they are launching a book of poems at a neighbourhood café, the place should be teeming with interested people when she arrives."
21-year-old Borivali resident Sayli Jadhav has been a regular on the poetry circuit. "While I do write a bit, it is nowhere near the level of what I hear on such platforms. Hence, attending such readings is inspiring for me as I aspire to write just as well someday."
Purohit beautifully sums up the collective thought when she shares, "The objective is that when somebody says they are launching a book of poems at a neighbourhood café, the place should be teeming with interested people when she arrives."

A'Paul'ogy at Worli has a poetry reading scheduled for March 8 with Raghavendra's Poetry Couture; entry is free.