Poetry as Resistance: Queer & Social Justice Walks
Poetry is not just on the page, it lives in our bodies, in the trees, and in the quiet streets. Join me for a walk where verse meets resistance, and where we find our own voices amidst the nature of Delhi.
No poetry exists without a touch of a dripping rainbow. 'A Lyrical Queer Walk' is a celebration of the intersection of poetry and queerness, creating a space in Lodhi Gardens to honor queer joy, anger, and grief.
This walk in Sanjay Van was another opportunity to explore the most outrageous, resilient, and beautiful queer poetry. We used the work of brilliant queer poets as meditative tools to immerse ourselves in nature and shared experience.
'The Queer Spring' was a walk along nature's own queerness and inclusivity. Hosted in Lodhi Garden, this walk was designed by and for queer-identifying folks to challenge ostracizing ideas and find solidarity in nature.
"A poem is a terror... a portal to pain to pride to power." This 'Poetry of Resistance' walk uses powerful verses from across the world to reflect on how poetry has always carried blood and change in its veins, threatening power and nurturing solidarity.
This iconic image of protest perfectly captures the spirit of our 'Poetry of Resistance' walks. We carry a flash of poetry birthed in a furnace, noticing nature's own rare resilience as we walk through Lodhi Gardens.
Featuring James Baldwin, this poster for our 'Poetry of Resistance' walk highlights how poetry can be the truth that sets a world to song. In the forests of Sanjay Van, we walk with poetry that has been birthed in a furnace.
About Poetry as Resistance: Queer & Social Justice Walks
These are not passive tours. We use poetry as a mirror, a way to engage with identity, queer joy, and social change while walking through spaces like Lodhi Gardens or Sanjay Van. You do not need to be a writer to join; you only need to show up, breathe, and listen to the poems and the land.
At the core of these walks is a simple, radical act: noticing. In a world that often demands we rush, we take two hours to pause and pay attention. Whether we are in the ancient canopy of Sanjay Van or the managed lawns of Lodhi Gardens, the environment acts as our classroom. We do not just read poems; we let them interact with our surroundings.
Why focus on resistance? Because carving out space for queer joy, grief, and reflection is itself an act of standing firm. These sessions are designed as open, trauma-informed spaces where you are free to share or simply observe. You will find that when you remove the pressure to perform poetry, the words start to flow naturally.
Each walk is a small group experience, usually between 10 to 20 people. This keeps the circle intimate enough for real conversation yet safe enough to remain anonymous if you prefer. We delve into works by diverse voices—queer poets, climate activists, and those who write from the margins. If you are new to this or worried about not being a poet, please know this: the poems are already inside you. We are just walking to help them find a way out.
Rachit Sharma
I am Rachit. I believe poetry is the queerest thing that happens to a culture, living at the margins yet capturing the center. I started these walks to bring poetry off the stage and into the air we breathe, creating space for anyone who feels the world deeply.
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