‘The opposite of a hero is not a villain; it’s a bystander.’ – Matt Langdon
From the Founder’s desk
Dear Friends,
The Delhi Poetry Festival turns ten this year, and we want to make it count for all of us. This year, the festival has a very specific purpose- to remind all of us that we can all be Heroes. ‘Heroic action’ means that we act when we see a wrong, that we take risks and that we do it for others.
This simple yet profound insight combined with the transformative power of poetry is what we want to see on display this year. As we ignite the poetic flame once again this year, we make a solemn promise to ourselves that it will penetrate even the darkest corners of our society, culminating in the change we’ve all been eagerly anticipating.
The Delhi Poetry Festival is not just a two-day event; it marks the inception of a revolution that will envelop the city of Delhi. Beyond thought-provoking discussions on poetry’s purpose and its impact on society, we are curating captivating and soul-stirring performances. The poetic flame will burn relentlessly, illuminating hearts and souls alike, reminding all of us to be Heroes.
The Delhi Poetry Festival stands as India’s largest standalone multilingual poetry celebration, a gift to the people of Delhi NCR. Our offerings extend beyond poetry recitations, encompassing discussions, conversations, a diverse range of Sufi performances, the fusion of art and poetry, performance poetry, humour within poetry, book launches, women-centric discussions, and much more.
Over the past decade, the Delhi Poetry Festival, has been graced by literary stalwarts such as Javed Akhtar, Prasoon Joshi, Vishal & Rekha Bhardwaj, Piyush Mishra, Swanand Kirkire, Irshad Kamil, and many others. We strive to create a cultural and intellectual space that is democratic and fearless, allowing voices to rise through poetry and art. Our goal is to unite society through the shared love of poetry, transcending political and ideological boundaries.
The festival’s purpose is to celebrate verse, stimulate thought, and promote culture and literature. It is not merely an indulgence but a serious responsibility to combat the decline of culture and language, as well as everyday heroism. In our 10th year of existence, we are dedicated to celebrating ‘The Hero Within Us’ in partnership with The Jai Hind Project.
The theme of ‘The Hero Within Us’ will be woven into various initiatives planned for our upcoming edition on December 16th & 17th at the India Habitat Centre, and we look forward to your participation.
To the hero in all of us,
Dolly Singh
Founder & Festival Director
Dolly@DelhiPoetryFest.org
