Poetry collectives from Kathmandu gathered on Saturday to recite poems centred on the aftermath of the recent destruction at Tribhuvan University. Patra-manjusha coordinated the event, which brought together nearly 30 participants.

The initiative aims to create a space where people can sing, write, and recite poetry to voice their feelings.

Participation was voluntary and without pressure. “Participants are not pressurised to do anything. They can join us and remain silent. We can be silent in a group without doing anything as well. We can bring books and read silently together or discuss them. We can have a creative meetup. We can also bring old poems from protests of bygone days,” organisers say.

“So many people suppress their feelings and are afraid to speak up. This is the space where they can express everything creatively,” they mention.

Participants recited original works and poems from established writers, including Bhupi Sherchan’s ‘Hallai Halla ko Desh’ and Harisharan Pariyar’s ‘Kaichi’.

Sabin Gywali from Patra-manjush says, “We aim to create a vibrant social space. Following the poetry recitations, we held a group discussion on the ongoing demonstrations.”

The second session is scheduled to take place later this week.