Poetry Evening “Intezaar” Lights Up Monalisa Kalagram

Pune, 15th June 2026: On 7th June, Monalisa Kalagram in Koregaon Park became the stage for a soulful evening of verse and music as KavitaKAFE hosted its open mic poetry event Intezaar. Nearly 20 poets and an equal number of audience members gathered to celebrate the art of words, with performances ranging from deeply personal reflections to playful explorations of the event’s theme — waiting.

Garima Mishra, founder of KavitaKAFE, explained the thought behind giving each open mic a title: “While it is not compulsory for the participants to present poetry based on the title, we give the title to encourage them to think beyond their natural inspiration and think out of the box. And I am pleasantly surprised every single time.”

Diverse Voices on Stage

The evening featured a vibrant lineup of poets including Ravi Acharya, Meha Chopra, Dhruv Jalota, Shahbaaz Khan, Devv, Ragini More, Chinmayee Katre, Vinay Gangil, Nilofer Ganji, Bobby Mittal, Surabhii Aplesh, and many others.

Two young voices stood out – Anabiyah (13) and Aabha (11) – who recited their own original poems. Anabiyah shared how attending the event with her father inspired her to begin writing herself: “Something about the event inspired me to begin writing poetry as well and this month I presented my own poem, and enjoyed the experience a lot.”

Interestingly, the creative spark extended beyond the performers. Aaliya, wife of poet Shahbaaz Khan, debuted her own poem at Intezaar, showing how the event nurtures new voices from the audience itself.

For Garima Mishra, the true joy lies in seeing new poets emerge: “As an organizer nothing gives me more happiness when someone from the audience begins their writing journey, gathers courage to come on stage to share it with everyone. And I have seen this happening very often at KavitaKAFE.”

Music Meets Poetry

The evening wasn’t limited to verse. Music added another layer of magic, with Anupam Banerjee performing the timeless Bollywood classic Tum Pukar Lo, and Omkar Zanjote energizing the crowd with a soulful qawwali that had everyone clapping and singing along.

A Growing Community

The event also drew poets from other collective such as Sakshi Pawar, who runs her own poetry club Sugarfree. She remarked: “I have been following KavitaKAFE’s journey for some time and had been wanting to come and perform here. I thoroughly enjoyed performing at Intezaar and intend to come again.”

Myriad themes

Adding to the richness of the evening, the poets explored a wide spectrum of themes that went far beyond the title Intezaar. Verses touched upon the ache of longing, the meaning of home, the flowing story of a river, and the warmth of bonding. Others delved into raw emotions like hunger, heartbreak, and the journey of life. Some poets bravely confronted inner demons, while others reflected on consciousness (shoonya). This diversity of themes not only showcased the versatility of the performers but also underscored KavitaKAFE’s ethos of encouraging artists to think beyond boundaries and share their most authentic voices.

The evening of Intezaar was more than just a gathering – it was a testament to how poetry and music can inspire, connect, and create a thriving community of artists and listeners.