Just quoting Nidhi Bhati here: 'Kabhi cheeze seedhi nahi dekhi. Chhoti khushiyan batorti aaj unke baare mein likhti. Bas yahi hai Nidhi. Gaane gungunati aur Mann mein nachti. Bas yahi hai Nidhi.'Team Radio City caught up with the enthusiastic and vibrant poet, ahead of the Free Verse Sessions. Trust us, she is a bundle of energy.When did you feel the first germ of writing?I clearly remember it was the summer of 2015 and I was a fresh graduate in Philosophy. Bursting with a rollercoaster of thoughts and possibilities in my head and a heart filled with desires of the unknown kind. One day out of nowhere I opened the notes on my phone and started typing few lines, and that was it. There was no stopping and looking back from that point on. I would write about anything and everything. Often exploring themes of restlessness, hopelessness, dreams, memories, half forgotten conversations and love. I started writing in English and then one day I tried my hand at writing in Hindi and I knew at that very moment that I had found myself in those verses. It felt as if my thoughts and fingers were always meant to think and write in Hindi. Everything feels more beautiful to me when expressed in Hindi. People who often see other poets of my age doing slam poetry and spoken word in English are taken aback when I tell them I write in Hindi. But mujhe hindi mein likhne mein sukoon milta hai.Literature and poetry does not find instant support. How did your family react to your pursuit of becoming a writer?I remember after an argument with my mother over her disapproval over me investing so much time and energy in poetry instead of my studies, I wrote a post on my Facebook saying, 'If I can not make a living out of it, does not mean I should not do it or that it is not worth my time.' But at the same time I saw how happy and proud my parents felt each time they would ask me to read my poems in a family gathering and in those tiny moments I was happy to see them appreciate my writings like that. After all parents will always be parents, if you know what I mean.How do you think can poetry be made relevant for the masses?I believe somewhere inside everyone is a poet. We just need to be able to open our eyes to that unseen side of ours and let poetry flow in our lives. When I started writing I realized that majority of the audience on my social media where I was sharing my work were not able to connect with my words. Maybe because today people relate and respond better to visuals than words, that's when it hit me that maybe there is a way for me to express my thoughts and my ways of seeing the everydayness of this world, by combining my writings with the little photography that I would do every now and then. This gave birth to, 'Ek Bhuli Guftugu, A Lost Conversation' which was a picture poetry project that tried to look at art and its various forms from a common angle that aimed at nothing, but to connect with more and more people around me. Some would connect with the poems and verses that I would write and some would connect with the visuals that I would give them along with those words. So I feel we need to approach the audience with the same sincerity we expect from them towards art and the artists. Only then will they be able to feel and experience the relevance of your work in their lives and somewhere down the line even be able to live a little through those words of yours.Authors and poets whose works you would recommend to young aspirants?The habit of reading is something that I need to start doing more often. I get distracted really easily and I have to admit that there are tons of poets and authors that I still need to read. But from the few that I have managed to read, I would recommend people to read poetry of Agha Shahid Ali and Akhil Katyal. These two men made me fall in love with poetry. They made me yearn for places, things and feelings that I had absolutely no prior connection with. They made me fall in love with Kashmir and made me nostalgic of memories that were never mine to begin with.Besides them, I often read poetry by my all-time favorite, Rumi. Who taught me what it is to love and what it is to be patient in love. His words would calm the otherwise impulsive and restless soul of mine at peace. Gulzar Sahab, is another poet who's words I feel, often call to me in a way that I never knew I was capable of hearing before.Lastly I would request everyone to please go and read the book, 'The Forty Rules of Love' by Elif Shafak. It's the Bible I live my life by. Aur zyada nahi kahungi main, bas aasha karungi ki zyada se zyada log iss kitaab ko padhe aur zindagi ko, pyaar ko jeeney ka sahi tareeqa seekhein.Lastly, one memorable line/quote from a book/poem that has stayed with you.For someone who writes on her memories and thoughts, I often find myself not being able to recollect whatever I read. But there are these two lines written by a dear friend of mine, that I remember even better than I can remember my name at times.'Meri ungliyan tumhe bulati hai, unhe shayad apne beech ki ye duriyan achi nahi lagti.'Catch Nidhi Bhati performing live at the Free Verse Sessions, this Sunday. Click here for event details.