BENGALURU: Emotiona, feelings and thoughts. All of this expressed through poetry, this time in Hindi. That’s what is in store at Mehfil, which is an evening of verses in Hindi. Poets Saurav Roy and Ram Krishna will share their works during a session which will be moderated by poet Divas Gupta. Organised by Mansee Shah Thard, co-founder of the performance space Lahe Lahe, the two-hour session held between 6 and 8pm on Sunday, will also see the poets sharing their original works for around 20 minutes. “Poetry sessions receive a very niche audience.
On the other hand, if it has a musical element, there is an universal appeal with many more takers,” Thard says, adding that there is no restriction on theme in these sessions. Audience members too, can share their works. “It’s an evening filled with expressions of emotions, feelings and thoughts which we all experience through life. Some pen it down beautifully,” she says.
But the idea is to delve into metre, feel and soak in the experiences expressed in verses. “We’ve kept it open to anyone interested in poetry. Family and friends of the featured poets often join in,” she says. While they alternate between English and Hindi, Thard finds that sessions in regional languages have few takers. “For instance, Tamil theatre or storytelling doesn’t see much traction,” she says.
The Covid-19 pandemic has turned many activities online, and Thard finds that virtual attendees miss the vibe. In addition, with screen time for professional and personal activities blurring, and virtual communication fatigue setting in, many opt out. “But at the same time, online sessions have removed borders. We see participation from other parts of the country and the world, and get to hear some diverse works,” she says.
Mehfil will be held on Sept. 20, between 6pm and 8pm. For details, visit the Facebook page of Lahe Lahe