Poetry lovers in Pune witnessed a lively celebration of Hindi poetry as KavitaKAFE, a dynamic poetry collective, made its debut at the 13th Pune International Literary Festival (PILF).
Held on December 6 and 7 at the Agriculture College on Ganeshkhind Road, PILF attracted renowned literary figures alongside enthusiastic audiences, creating a rich cultural atmosphere over two engaging days.
As part of the festival’s diverse offerings, KavitaKAFE hosted a dedicated poetry session. The session featured six Pune-based poets: Surbhi Jain, Sachin Sharma, Subodh Mutha, Aadikavee, Manas Nikhil and KavitaKAFE’s founder Garima Mishra.
Each poet brought a unique voice to the stage, exploring a wide spectrum of themes in their own unique style that resonated deeply with listeners.
The poetry presented spanned topics ranging from the nuances and complexities of relationships and the pain of heartbreak to the intricacies of life’s challenges, reflections on mythological characters, and the timeless emotion of love.
“As an avid book lover, I have attended PILF before, but this was my first time participating as a performer. I am sincerely thankful to the PILF management for giving KavitaKAFE such a wonderful platform. The enthusiastic response to our session truly underscores the significant role poetry plays in Pune’s vibrant literary community,” said Mishra.
She added that her collective celebrated its first anniversary on November 30, and having the opportunity to conclude 2025 with their debut performance at PILF was the perfect finale -- a true cherry on top -- and she couldn’t have wished for a better way to end the year.
According to Manjiri Prabhu, the founder of PILF and an accomplished author, poetry is the heartbeat of literature; a place where emotion becomes language and language becomes art. “At PILF, we encourage young poets because every verse they write is a step towards finding their voice and shaping the world with it,” added Prabhu.
For Subodh Mutha, one of the KavitaKAFE participants, PILF is a vibrant space where authors, poets, artists, and readers converge to celebrate the culture of reading.
“The 13th edition was a cultural treat, with themes ranging from business and philanthropy to mystery, sports, poetry and dance. I was both excited and humbled to perform this year and share poetry that seeks to reflect and resonate in a world of shrinking attention spans. I am already looking forward to the next edition with even greater mass participation in Pune,” said Mutha.
