The ninth edition of the Bengaluru Poetry Festival (BPF), organised by Atta Galatta, will be held in the first week of August.
Internationally recognised poets such as Gagan Gill, Swanand Kirkire, Jeet Thayil, Mamta Sagar, and Parwati Tirkey will participate in the two-day festival.
The festival will also feature such artistes as Dastangoi Danish Husain, singer Justh, Karnatik musician Sikkil Gurucharan, singer-songwriter Suman Sridhar, and lyricist-screenwriter Madhan Karky.
Highlights include sessions on musical maestros like Kishore Kumar and Aravind Gigoo, and a performance by Parvathy Baul, a performer, teacher, and practitioner of the Baul tradition from Bengal.
BPF will offer storytelling and author interactions for children above five. Quizzes, singalongs, theatre games, doodling and sketching are among other activities scheduled for children.
This year, the festival introduces the Utkarsh Poetry Fellowship for young, unpublished poets. Instituted in memory of Utkarsh Verma by his mother Dr Neena Verma and BPF, the fellowship carries a cash prize of Rs 24,000. The winners will be announced on August 3.
On August 2 and 3 at Indiranagar Sangeetha Sabha. Entry free. For details and registration, visit bengalurupoetryfestival.org.