p4poetry.com

A new web-site that has opened as recently as April 2008 and known by the name http://www.p4poetry.com has suddenly come up on the cyber-space. Owned by Raj and Renuka Halve, this website aims to promote Indian poets writing in English or any of the vernacular languages. It provides a platform to anyone with the yen to write verse. I joined up about a week ago, and have posted only one poem so far. However, I was in time to attend their first-ever Meeting in Mumbai held in the evening on Saturday 10th May at "Pause" a Wine resto-bar located in Bandra. Present at this meeting were the owner couple, the webmaster Vikash, their colleague Preeti Datar (who I have had the privilege to know earlier through www.writing.com), and about 12 others, among them, a professor of English, a software consultant, a professional writer-poet (a Sikh who writes absolutely lovely Hindi verse), another Pediatrician (Dr. P.V. Vaidyanathan), and others. After formal introductions, we had a poetry-reading session. I had the pleasure to hear some beautiful Hindi poems. Above all, the experience was unique because of its venue - a lovely place to hang out. Incidentally, it is owned by the Halves (read that as the plural of Hal-vay).

I read "Child's Lament" and a small comic poem as my contribution. The best poems were read by the Sikh poet and the English professor, a lady. I hope to establish more contact with all these worthies in the days to come. The plan is to have at least one poetry reading every month.