Kunjana Parashar

Offerings

Offering #1

The Coven: A poetry community for women with curated poetry reading sessions and workshops by various facilitators, to start from April 22, 2026. Registrations on a rolling basis. You can find out more here. 

Offering #2

Poetry Imitation Club (Second Edition) – Registrations Closed

  1. We will read a poem together for 3 weeks, on weekdays (total 15 days) & discuss it for about 20 minutes.

  2. In the next 25 minutes, we will try to imitate the style / structure of the poem we have read & write our own poem. There will be a brief prompt that will help guide you further in the imitation process.

  3. In the final 15 minutes, we can share a line or two from what we have written or share the whole poem if we are feeling safe enough to share it with the group. For the duration of our time together, there will be a Whatsapp group too to share our drafts.

Why?

  1. I believe writing in the manner of another poet helps us unlock new ways of writing & thinking about the infinitely malleable nature of how a line can be shaped.

     

  2. I really think that doing this together helps one stay accountable as opposed to doing it alone (I can’t do it alone myself too!)

     

  3. It is always fun to learn & see how others respond to the same poem either in a similar fashion or a different one.

Who is it for?

Pretty much anyone who’s feeling stuck or is curious or would like to write 15 practice poems they can later craft into a new-ish poem.

Details:

  1. We begin from March 30 & end on Apr 17, Monday to Friday.

  2. Timing (there will be 2 batches, you can enroll in any): 7:00 to 8:00 AM and 8:30 to 9:30 PM

  3. Cost: 1800 Rupees.

Note:

This is NOT for folks who were in the first batch.

Testimonials from folks in the first batch:

“Poetry was nothing short of a festival when shared with this poet and the kindest, most deeply inquisitive and motivated members of the first cohort of the Club.

I think the Poetry imitation Club is not only a win for this poet, but feels like a win for poetry.

If you’re a serious poet, or on the way to becoming one, or playing around figuring out if you’re serious about poetry, Kunjana’s Poetry Imitation Club will make you feel like a rockstar among rockstars.

In writing the 30 or more poems I wrote during the 30-day duration of the Poetry Imitation club, my main takeaway was not the poems I wrote, but an understanding, so fundamental to me in my writing now, that wouldn’t have come by sooner if not for this space. Every good poem has an engine, well-lubricated and precise in its making that makes the poem stronger than even the sum of its parts. It transcends from that into a world of beauty and truth, the things that bring a poem alive, that bring the reader alive. When I thought of this as I read the poems that were being shared by Kunjana to imitate, and as I read poems now after the Club, I am learning how to read a good poem, and sometimes it makes that poem great for me. And I think that contributes something of a skill to me in attempting to write a good poem too. What I’m saying is not only will you write some solid first drafts, but learn the fundamentals of what makes a poem work, in doing the close-reading of the poems we read and discuss together, before we imitate. The Poetry Imitation Club is a space of Surplus in a time of lacking enthusiasm and depth in how we experience poetry and the world. And I’ll be coming back to this space for more deep learning when it opens again.” —Kishan Gusani

“Kunjana’s imitation poems (copycat) have always inspired me to write and when she offered this as a course, I immediately signed up and I am so glad. The experience has been transformative and cathartic. The poems she selected were excellent and covered various topics and styles. This meant that every day I would sit down to write and meet some memory or idea I forgot I had. Writing these was akin to reliving them, and working through and processing them. Kunjana guides you gently through the poem by encouraging discussion before you attempt to imitate it. The community of poets I got to write with was splendid and they made me want to share, write more, dig deeper and simply enjoy the process. If you want a nudge to sign up for the next Poetry Imitation Club, think of this as your sign—you will be amazed at how many workable drafts you can churn out in a couple of weeks.” —Aditi Garg

“I think it hit me incredibly hard when my alarm didn’t ring at 8:25 pm today. For the last thirty days, I had an alarm called “poetry time,” for the imitation club and today I didn’t.

the first rule of Kunjana’s imitation club is: you talk about imitation club, and think about it – the poems, the afters, the craft of it, the meter, it’s shape, the musicality, where the line breaks and what the empty space in the poem says to you -it pushes you to.

the second rule is to come as you are.

more than feeling the joy of engaging with writing over the last 30 days, I feel extremely lucky to have been a part of conversations that I would have otherwise never had – the poets in this cohort brought their experiences and creative processes with them.
I have learnt so much about poetry – what it encapsulates, when does it peel away from that and what more can its center hold. I don’t think I will ever look at any poem the same way – for me this is a huge stepping stone in my journey with poetry.

the observation of “how” one approaches a poem is reflected in how one approaches any form of art – and to know that is to build a deep and vulnerable awareness in a world that is trying it’s hardest to numb out that sensibility.

I believe this club strengthens that muscle of knowing and understanding.

and for that, I am very very grateful to Kunjana for initiating something so refreshing and to all the poets for inspiring me along the way.” —Vani

“I have said this many times before, and I would say this again— I owe a lot to Kunjana in building my writing journey. She is the kindest, most generous poet I have known, always ready to share her wisdom on all things poetry. So, I couldn’t help but to sign up when she announced this offering.

Practising something on your own is very different from doing it as a group. To have been able to closely read well-curated poems and write with this group, has been a nourishing and humbling experience for me. These 30 days, I felt safe and held in the space Kunjana had created for us where we shared our flyest, worst and most nonsensical drafts.

This month-long journey has definitely skyrocketed my understanding of craft. It has helped me loosen up a lot and just play with sounds and images in a way I have never done before. It has only made me even greedier for poems. I would definitely miss this. Thank you Kunjana for being unapologetically you.

It wouldn’t be an exaggeration if I say that we were invoking poetry gods every night like a ritual and Kunjana was our High priestess. Folks who would sign up for the second edition, may words shower on you like they did for us.” —Greeshma Gayathri

“This 30 day Poetry Imitation club with Kunjana was nothing short of spectacular. As someone who went in blind, this was such a fest for the hour of everyday that we logged in collectively. Not only did we get to know these 30 poems intimately but also all the other voices who brought so much thoughtfulness, insight, capacity to dissect the layers within the poem and to gently hold that poem through fruition while writing the afters of it. Kunjana beautifully regulated the sessions by not only watching from the sidelines, but also with continued impetus of confidence boost every now and then. There was no gatekeeping of information or resources, only a shared love of poetry and awe while we maneuvered through that much anticipated hour this past month. I experience a great sense of nostalgia now when thinking of what a collective sense of celebration and poetry party that had felt like.

Kunjana brought home such different poems and formats that breaking it apart felt like opening a new gift every single day. If you get a chance, do partake and enjoy this delicious process as a writer, non-writer, lover, and even as a non-lover of poetry. Will miss this cohort, will miss the party but hope to keep the light burning at my table every night writing or thinking of writing. Thank you Kunjana and all the others for their beautiful hearts and minds.” —Preeta Bhuyan

“Dear Kunjana,

I am not sure how a testimonial is structured so I am just going to write what I feel. It might not make sense, but I think since we spent 30 days with such wonderful poems, it only encourages me to be honest about why I took this poetry imitation workshop with you.
Like many other people, I want to express my thoughts and feelings. Non-fiction feels like dry ice to taste when it comes to subjectivity, and fiction has to have too many ingredients; you know- a hero, a villain, a character arc etc. I think that is too much to deliver. Poetry is a space which can have anything that I desire in it. It can be a story, or not. It can be a thought, or not. It can be an epic, or not. I wanted to hide a lot of things in words. I found out I can do that through poetry. It could not have been possible without this 30 day schedule. It could also not have been possible without other people of the group. It was a great pleasure, listening to what all others had to say. Manjima’s social and critical view of life, Mandakini’s wandering in the woods, Kinjal’s sensitivity to details, Nithya’s honest eye towards pain and suffering (maybe I am exaggerating here a bit, but that is what I felt), David’s humour of everyday life, Preeta’s deep insights, Vani’s sincerity towards nuances of words(and much more), all have helped me find a beautiful world of poems. Thank you for bringing us all together.
Not only people in the group, but each and every poem was a person in itself. The poems were a rich spectrum of emotions. Many have brought my inner child to surface. Many have helped me confront my demons. Many have made my demons confront me. I am going to keep coming back for more and jump at any chance I get to do more poetry exploration with you. Thank you for the 30 days. And all the best for everything in the future.” —Nivedita Fadnis

“Hi Kunjana – I chanced upon the Poetry Imitation Club through this tiny community that I have started building for myself. At the outset, it sounded very glamorous – a poetry club and all! As it kicked off, the apprehension of being in a club quickly fell away and what I experienced was a beautiful journey, which built rigor, vocabulary, and most importantly, a fellowship. I secretly renamed this “club” as The Fellowship of the Poets (no resemblance to anything Tolkien ever created).

I want to appreciate how you facilitated the process of this exchange, which was also the crux of the journey / experience. From an experience POV, it looked so effortless! The real hard work happened in the background though – through the curation of poems, the prompts that elicited amazing responses, and then the most amazing trait of a process facilitator that I admire – trusting in the wisdom of the group. It would have been easy for you to come in during the discussions or direct the flow but you held space gently by trusting in the wisdom of the wonderful group of poets! And that led to emergence of vulnerable exchanges, out-of-the-box ideas, and a study of the art of poetry from both within and without.

Getting together an amazing bunch of poets may not be very hard – but the real miracle you worked was through the facilitation of the process – how else does one draw out 20-odd poets, every day for a month into an engaging exchange of ideas especially when some of them (like me) live deep in their den with no interest (and a lot of fear) in engaging with the world outside of us.

I am extremely grateful for this fellowship, for your nudges, and then the miracles that I witnessed! Thank you, Kunjana!” —David Antony

“Hi Kunjana,

I hope you are well and spreading your magic to fellow poets. I don’t know if this passes as a testimonial but I did want to express my gratitude for your efforts towards the workshop.

It has only been 3 days and I terribly miss the positivity that the Poetry group filled my evenings with, in those 30 days I had something to look forward to for the entire day. On my way back home from work, I would wonder what kind of poem we would read today and on days also hunt for inspiration through the day.

Having a safe space and a community inspired me to sit down and write everyday, more often beyond the time frame of the workshop. The prompts were so carefully picked such that all of us could write from personal space and experience, and I enjoyed writing through all of them. I am even surprised at some of the poems and also the sheer number of poems I have written in a single month. The workshop truly helped me see my potential, if I can do it once, I can do it again and multiple times.

Also, it was reassuring to see you listening to each of us with attention, as every one else did as well. It felt like we were working towards a common goal of understanding and writing together. It felt really wholesome and it was such joy to hear so many poems (often a mixed bag) from my fellow poets.

I really really look forward to joining more poetry writing and reading sessions and thank you for being such a kind poet and for the beautiful community. It felt much more than just about poetry.” —Yash Goel