Nanded: Braving the cold, a large audience at People’s College, Nanded, warmly embraced an evening of poetry on a wide range of themes.
The event was a part of the Gyanamrit Lecture Series, organised by the Nanded Education Society to celebrate its “Amrit Mahotsav”. The event was themed “Jatyapasun Natyapasun Ashi Bolte Kavita” and held at the Narhar Kurundkar Auditorium of Peoples’ College.
Keskar presented verses from renowned poets that explore social realities and the emotional ups and downs in life. Among them, poet Sudhir Mulik’s biting satire left the audience reflective about the state of contemporary politics and identity.
Speaking about the art of poetry, Keskar noted, “Reciting a poem and truly embodying it are worlds apart. To understand a poem, emotion matters far more than language.”
He emphasised the preservation of India’s oral traditions, highlighting how folk poetry keeps authentic emotions alive. What a poem suggests is often more important than what it explicitly states, he added.
Using the poignant lines in Marathi, “A daughter is born; the father calls her a burden, but the mother says, ‘Let her be; she is shelter to my soul.” He unpacked the social sensitivity embedded in Marathi oral traditions.
Quoting Bahinabai Chaudhari’s evocative verse, Keskar illustrated the instinctive poetic voice of women. He also presented a fresh viewpoint on contemporary thought through Nitin Deshmukh’s lines.
A highlight of the evening was Keskar’s presentation of a new poetic fusion style, Hindi-Marathi “cocktail poetry”, blending Sant Namdev, Akbar Allahabadi, Jagdish Khebudkar, Urdu shayari, and Lavani. Through this tapestry, he conveyed messages of unity, equality, and humanity.
Praveen Patil, vice-president of the Nanded Education Society, presided over the event.
Executive members of the Society, senior literary figures and several others attended the programme.
