Patriotism & playful verse: A poetic prelude to Republic Day

Bhopal: City is poised for an evening that will shimmer with laughter, emotion and lyrical flair as the all-India poets' meet comes alive at 7pm, Anjani auditorium, Ravindra Bhavan today. Presented by department of culture, this tradition-steeped celebration turns a winter night into a living mosaic of imagination, humour and heartfelt reflection — a perfect warm-up to Republic Day.Leading the festive constellation of voices is Hindi's cherished poet Ashok Chakradhar, whose playful insight and intellectual warmth have earned him immense admiration. In a chat with TOI, he said, "Bhopal audiences understand the subtle musings and appreciate tongue-in-cheek humour, being discerning listeners. So, along with some of my evergreen creations, I will also recite some new, experimental works. Since I'm coming to City Of Lakes ahead of Republic Day, I pray that our air, aura and surroundings stay light-hearted, benign and benevolent." Sharing the platform with him will be Surendra Sharma, the comic genius and Padma Shri awardee whose ‘Char Laina' humour dances across mundane absurdities. Alongside these iconic voices will be Urdu maestro Wasim Barelvi, whose ghazals have touched countless hearts; and a host of poets — Dr Sita Sagar, Kailash Mandella, Shailendra Singh, Himanshi Bawra and Shraddha Shaurya — each bringing their own palette of emotions, imagery and sparkle to the evening.Entry is free, on a first-come, first-served basis.