Anti-Caste Poetry Collective The Reserved Compartment to Perform in Alwarpet

Poetry collective The Reserved Compartment will stage an anti-caste poetry showcase at Medai in Alwarpet on August 22. The performance, organised in collaboration with Mahad productions, brings together Dalit, Bahujan, and Adivasi poets following earlier shows in Mumbai and Bengaluru.

The collective was conceived by co-founders Daniel Sukumar and Abhijit Khandkar, who had contemplated creating a dedicated platform for marginalised poets since 2014. Daniel noted that poets from marginalised backgrounds often lack the privileges required to access mainstream open mic venues and cafes, while mainstream spaces tend to offer limited representation shaped by conventional standards of presentation.

Late last year, the founders expanded the initiative after connecting with Gautam Vegda, a PhD scholar, and Aleena, an author and poet, forming the four-member core lineup.

The performance follows a structured format lasting between 90 minutes and two hours. A regional language poet opens the event, after which the four co-founders perform individually. The Chennai show will feature an opening act by C Nivitha, a poet hailing from Manjolai in Tirunelveli. Each show concludes with an open discussion and question-and-answer session with the audience.

According to Daniel, the events have fostered community-building, allowing attendees to connect over shared experiences of caste and structural exclusion. The collective aims to use poetry to encourage direct, meaningful dialogue on caste issues beyond online discourse.

In addition to live showcases, The Reserved Compartment plans to establish an incubation programme aimed at supporting regional-language writers from marginalised backgrounds to write in English, addressing visibility constraints and reducing the risk of appropriation during translations.

The performance in Alwarpet is scheduled for August 22, with tickets priced at Rs 599.