BENGALURU POETRY FEST PART 2

 

BENGALURU POETRY FEST PART 2 

I was very apprehensive about the traffic in Bengaluru, but to my absolute relief, the taxi glided on a traffic-free road, and the cheerful driver chatted on.  I, too, tried to put in a word edgewise, looking at the verdant greenery and buildings.  I was visiting Bengaluru for the first time, and my senses were alert to everything around.  

 Within forty minutes, we were at the hotel JustA, MG Road, where I was greeted by a profusion of smiles. The hotel Staff was the epitome of warm hospitality. There was absolutely no dearth of smiles- shy, expansive, diffident, confident-nothing was fake. 

In no time, I was chaperoned to my room by a friendly staff member, who tried to see to it that I was comfortable.  I was more than comfortable. I loved everything about the room, and soon felt very much at home. So much so that the sight of the table started an itching in my fingers.

 I would have immediately started writing something when there was a knock at the door. 

 I opened the door to come face-to-face with another smile.
 The owner of this smile was Dr. Neena Verma, who, along with her family, has instituted UTKARSH POETRY FELLOWSHIP, a missionary endeavour in memory of Utkarsh Verma, her elder son, a scientist, naturalist, poet, and a humanist. 

This Fellowship, in association with the  Bengaluru Poetry Festival, seeks to honour and take forward Utkarsh's legacy of deep love and unique talent for poetry.

Soon, Dr Neena and I were talking like friends meeting after a long time.  

I had no premonition that the next day, 2 August,  would drown me in a rippling ocean of more smiles.

Being a tactile person, I saved myself from drowning.
By hugging the SMILERS tight!  

TO BE CONTINUED