In the film Dead Poets Society, Robin Williams’ character Professor Keating mentions: ‘We read and write poetry because we are members of the human race. And the human race is filled with passion.’ It was in 2014 when a similar passion for the written (and spoken) word inspired former Hauz Khas-resident Raghavendra Madhu (36).
The result was the first Poetry Couture open mic, which he organised in a bijou restaurant in Vasant Kunj. “I discovered that there were many people who wanted to share their thoughts and ideas. However, other than humongous festivals or large spaces that have an annual literature celebration, there was a huge gap that needed to be bridged,” shares the poet who now lives in Assam. He established Poetry Couture—it is a pro-bono initiative—with a simple idea to create free art spaces for people to come together, interact, and share their thoughts.
Making art accessible
Ever since its inception, Poetry Couture has organised several open mics in Delhi and other cities such as Mumbai, Kolkata, Chennai, and others. Madhu mentions that the open mics have been inspired by spoken word performances conducted during the American Beat Poet movement of 1950s. However, he also shares that he drew inspiration from India’s long-standing tradition of oral poetry. “I felt like this tradition was slowly dying. I thought poetry should be brought back to the lives of common people rather than just having poetry books placed on bookshelves,” shares Madhu.
The open mics by Poetry Couture are inclusive platforms—poetry sessions here vary in themes including LGBTQIA+ community, women, climate change advocacies, to name a few. “Anybody who has a poem or even a short prose can walk up, register, and read,” Madhu explains, adding, “Today’s youngsters have a lot to say. They have to make people understand what they are feeling. In such a scenario, poetry becomes a huge medium and these open mics offer a space for these youngsters to share their personal thoughts.”
This group has often hosted readings by eminent Indian poets and authors such as Sukrita Paul Kumar, Keki N Daruwalla, and Jeet Thayil, as well as others. Such readings by trailblazers in the Indian literary space are extremely essential to give the present generation a glimpse of what contemporary Indian poetry entails.
The power of words
Apart from reviving the art of the spoken word, Poetry Couture also aims to reclaim free art spaces such as cafes and restaurants that would once serve as hubs for artists and poets. While physical sessions would be the norm pre-COVID, Poetry Couture has now shifted to the digital medium to keep art alive amid the pandemic. This was also a time when Madhu conducted nature poetry walks in Assam. “It was a time of loss; all of us needed to sit and contemplate. I thought it would help to sit in silence and meditate over our lives at that time. The walk was about things that we can love without an objective.” With the COVID situation improving, Madhu hopes that they will soon be able to organise physical events.
There is no better form of flattery for Madhu than witnessing today’s generation take the stage to emphasise important issues such as gender and climate change through the spoken word. He concludes, “Art cannot and should not be controlled; that is what I always dreamt of. The power of voice has brought a huge change and it feels nice to see that we have been successful in creating a movement across India that has now become sustainable.”