Sharjah | At the Sharjah International Book Fair, a poetic evening brought together noted poets Rafeeq Ahamed and P.P. Ramachandran, who shared their insights on the relevance of poetry and its role in contemporary society.
Poet Rafeeq Ahamed expressed that in Kerala, writers are the only group consistently raising their voices against sectionalism, division, and the growing trend of autonomous tendencies. However, he argued that mere emotional reactions, like anger or laughter, are insufficient. The current generation and society do not pay much attention to writing, he observed, stressing that poems should not be reduced to slogans. According to him, while social media offers a platform for instant reactions, poetry must carry a deeper resonance, often written with future generations in mind. However, he acknowledged the limitations of this practice, calling the current wave of writing a peripheral revolution that fails to create lasting impact.Rafeeq also criticized society for its lack of introspection, saying, “When someone mentions the narrow sky, everyone looks up, but no one looks within themselves.”
P.P. Ramachandran shared his perspective on the essence of poetry, asserting that it must stem from personal experience. “Experience is the first muse and the seed for a poem. A poem cannot emerge from ashes from the sky but must rise from the soil where your footprints are imprinted,” he said. He recounted how his poem Thozukai(Folded hands)was inspired by a moment in Delhi in 2014, where he saw a squirrel with folded hands, which reminded him of Ansari’s folded hands during the Gujarat riots.
Rafeeq Ahamed shared that his love for poetry began at a young age. Highlighting the challenges faced by poets, he remarked, “I am a weak and powerless person. All I can do is write poems. What else can I do?” For him, poetry is more than entertainment—it is a form of self-reflection.He also mentioned that he writes film songs to entertain people,poetry is not for entertaining people.
If you praise rain, you’ll get slapped now.
Commenting on environmental changes, Rafeeq noted how the perception of rain in Kerala has shifted. “If you talk about rain in Kerala now, you’ll get slapped. The floods and unpredictable seasons have turned what was once a source of creative inspiration into a source of fear.”
For Ramachandran, poetry and teaching are not his only artistic pursuits but he also contributes to drawing and web publishing.He revealed that he founded the website Harithakam.com, in 2003 to promote poetry. He also said that the contributions from Gulf-based Malayali poets such as Kuzhoor Wilson, T.K. Anilkumar, Asmo, and T.A. Shashi enriched the platform significantly.He also spoke about his personal challenges, such as color blindness, which limits him to drawing only in black and white. When asked about a translated poem,Ramachandran remarked that poets are frequently labeled as “not smart enough to live,” though he personally doesn’t feel so about him. He also mentioned that he doesn’t translate a poem just because someone asked him to do so and he emphasized that translation is not merely about converting words but making the poem part of oneself.
The evening featured poetic recitations and musical performances. Ramachandran recited the poem ‘Oru murukkan pothiyude ormakku’ signifying his deep friendship with Rafeeq.
Ramachandran also recited his poems Oruval,Pacha Neela Chuvapp and Pattambi Puzhamanal. Rafeeq Ahamed recited his poem Thottakutti.The session also included renditions of film songs written by Rafeeq, such as ‘Mazha kondu maathram’ sung by Rishika and ‘Maranam ethunna nerathu’ sung by Anirudh. Manishika recited Ramachandran’s poem Lalitham.
The event was moderated by media professional Shabu Kilithattil.