Creative and thoughtful minds will unite on June 14 for the first meet-up of Poets of Goa at Dogears Bookshop, Margao
KALYANI JHA | NT BUZZ
Following successful poet congregations in different cities, Poets of Goa, a newly formed group for the creative, lyrical minds is spreading its wings with an intent to bring together those who write and those who enjoy listening to poems.
“We have various chapters around the country like Poets of Mumbai, Poets of Pune, and Poets of Delhi which have been running for quite some years now. The whole idea is to foster poetry. It’s about building a community of poets where people come and share their writings and inspire each other,” says Goa-based writer Gargi Guha, who will be leading the first Goa meet-up on June 14 at Dogear Bookshop, Margao.
“I got associated with Poets of Goa because I started seeking a community of poets and like-minded people to share my craft with. It was also the same time they were launching in Goa. So it was a case of synchronic timing,” she says.
The poetry initiative was initially begun by writer and publisher Ravi Vishwakarma. Originally from Delhi, he started Poets of Noida in 2018 to bring together poetry enthusiasts and challenge stereotypes about the city through the power of words. After moving to Bengaluru in 2019, he launched Poets of Bangalore, inspired by the need for warm, non-judgmental creative spaces, especially for those living away from home. What began as a local gathering has now grown into a vibrant poetry movement across 14+ cities.
“We intend to revive the bygone era where poetry was loved and embraced. We also wish to expand this platform and conduct more open-mics, poetry and storytelling nights. We are also planning to invite published poets and storytellers to share some wisdom with aspiring literature enthusiasts,” he says.
Core team member of the group Ripal Dixit, adds that like in all other chapters, the Goa chapter also aims to support and celebrate Indian literature by amplifying local voices and helping them resonate far and wide.
The upcoming Goa meet- up titled ‘Poems and Prose’ will see 15 poets/writers sharing their writings. “We will try to keep it short and precise and give a voice to whoever wants to come and share, but the whole idea is about poets finding a sense of belongingness where they can share their art form. As you know, poetry is an art form that thrives best when it’s unhindered, and we want to create a gathering that is conducive for people to share,” says Guha, adding that these meet-ups will be conducted once a month. To be a part of the gathering, one will have to fill up a Google form.
Guha herself is a poet and will soon release her first book of poems. And she believes that Goa’s peaceful surroundings is very conducive for this poetry initiative.
“Goa is a very quiet, spiritual place and there’s already a very big thriving Goan writing community here. And poetry is an art form that is best enjoyed when you are quiet and unhurried,” she says.
Guha also states that people from the publishing industry will also be part of this community and therefore going forward there will be scope for networking and getting to know inside tips and insider details on publishing as well. “But to begin with, it will only be about gathering together. With time, it is only going to grow manifold,” she says.
How Goa inspired a poetry book
Guha is an ex-communications professional turned freelance writer. A poet at heart, Guha is set to release her first book of poetry, ‘When Wish is a Wildflower’ soon. And she credits Goa for bringing out the poet in her. “‘When Wish is a Wildflower’ is a book of nature-inspired poetry. The slow life, pressing reset and living with a quiet intention in soulful, south Goa, all these inspired me to write this book. After spending two decades in the corporate rat race, I was finally able to slow down my pace and notice the little things that added to my day and brought me joy,” she shares.
