Shaizan Nadaf
Bandipora 01 Nov: Sohbat, a community for women from different age groups and walks of life in Bandipora, organised a poetry reading session through its Gaash Book Club at Cafe Cravings, bringing together literature enthusiasts for an afternoon of poetry, art and discussion.
The session focused on poems in different languages that have influenced participants’ lives, resonated with their experiences or changed their perspectives.
Participants discussed the circumstances in which the poems were written, their meanings and the emotions and ideas they continue to evoke.
The gathering also featured discussions on women poets across literary traditions, a question-and-answer session about the Gaash Book Club and mandala art, providing participants with an opportunity to engage with literature and creative expression.
Founded by Shazia Mir, Sohbat aims to bring women together to connect, learn and participate in activities beyond their everyday roles and responsibilities.
The community seeks to create spaces for sisterhood, learning and cultural exchange while also working towards documenting and preserving Bandipora’s history, particularly the contributions of women.
Gaash Book Club is one of Sohbat’s initiatives, established to encourage reading and create opportunities for conversations around books, writers and ideas. The club holds online and offline sessions every Sunday, bringing participants together to read, exchange perspectives and engage with literature.
Through its activities, Sohbat also seeks to promote Kashmiri language and literature, strengthen women’s understanding of faith and learning, and provide opportunities for creative pursuits and community interaction.
The session was hosted at Cafe Cravings, where the café management made arrangements to welcome the participants and serve refreshments, providing a comfortable setting for the literary gathering.
Speaking about the initiative, Cafe Cravings owner Umar Khan said that such gatherings are the need of the hour, particularly as Bandipora is losing touch with the cultural and intellectual traditions for which it was once known.
He said events centred on literature, poetry and meaningful discussions could help revive these traditions and encourage people to reconnect with the real identity.
At the conclusion of the event, members of the Sohbat community presented a traditional Kashmiri Kangri to cafe owner as a gesture of appreciation and gratitude for hosting the gathering and supporting their initiative.
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