Poetry Fest @ MCC | A Report

Our Principal, at the release of 'Cornucopia'

Sylvan Verses @ MCC | A Report

Global Voices Resonate Under the Trees at MCC’s Prakriti Poetry Fest

The rustic, sylvan locale of the Selaiyur Hall at Madras Christian College (MCC) transformed into a vibrant literary stage this December, as the college played host to the four-day Prakriti Poetry Reading Fest.

Held under the shade of the campus’s mighty, historic trees, the festival became a melting pot of culture, bridging the gap between the Mediterranean coast and the Coromandel, and connecting the ancient mysticism of Kashmir with the modern voices of cinema.

The South-South Parallel

The festival opened on Saturday, 10th December with an intellectual exploration of the “South-South parallel.” The session featured a distinguished “Mediterranean Poets” panel, including French-Lebanese poet and essayist of international renown, Salah Stétié, and Italian novelist and translator, Giuseppe Conte.

In a dialogue of verses, they were joined by Tamil literary figures Anand Krishnan, Kavitha Muralidharan, and Sivakami IAS. Together, the collective explored the threads connecting Mediterranean sensibilities with South Indian realities, reading from their works to an engaged audience.

Echoes of Kashmir

On the second day, the focus shifted from the ocean to the valley. Eminent poet Ranjit Hoskote took the stage to resurrect the voice of Lal Ded, the 14th-century mystic and forerunner of Sufism in the Kashmir Valley.

Hoskote presented selections from his translation of 146 poems from Lalla’s circulating corpus, rendering her ancient utterances into fresh, evocative English.

The audience was visibly moved as he recited -

I’m towing my boat across the ocean with a thread.

Will He hear me and help me across?

Or am I seeping away like water from a half-baked cup?

Wander, my poor soul, you're not going home anytime soon.

The session concluded with a dynamic interaction, as Mr. Hoskote fielded inquisitive queries from the students, bridging the gap between the medieval mystic and the modern youth.

Our Principal, releasing Cornucopia...

Tagore and the Modern Muse

The festival maintained its momentum on Day Three with a heartwarming recital by the Rabindranath Tagore Panel in the Selaiyur Hall guest room.

By Day Four, the atmosphere turned cinematic. Poet and filmmaker Arjun Bali took the podium, reciting his works to a rapt audience. In a unique twist, Bali opened the floor for a “listener’s choice” session, allowing the audience to curate the flow of the poetry.

A ‘Cornucopia’ of Talent

The festivities culminated in a significant literary launch. Dr. Alexander Jesudasan, Principal of MCC, released the first variety ensemble of TEA @ MCC titled Cornucopia.

The first copy of the book was received by Shri Arjun C. Bali in the presence of Dr. Felix Moses and Dr. Stephen Jebanesan.

From the shade of the ancient trees to the release of new books, the four-day Prakriti Fest was a resounding success, offering a rare space where eminent and emerging poets could cater to the mind and heart alike.