Spoken word artist and poet Nayab Midha recently visited Kolkata, expressing a sense of "happy envy" for the city's profound intellectual atmosphere and cultural comfort. Midha, recognized for her performances that blend deep personal narrative with sharp social awareness, is part of a contemporary wave of poets transforming the stage into a platform for raw honesty rather than sterile perfection.
The Human Heart vs. The Algorithm: Defending Imperfect Art
In a wide-ranging conversation covering art, identity, and self-reflection, Midha addressed a pressing modern dilemma: preserving the human essence in poetry as artificial intelligence learns to write. For her, the core strength of poetry lies in its deliberate imperfections. "What makes art great is that it is flawed because of human emotions, and AI lacks these flaws," Midha asserts. She believes the most powerful poems are born from confusion, contradiction, and chaos, not from polished, predictable certainty.
She elaborated that poetry transcends mere rhythm or structure; it is fundamentally lived experience. The heartbreaks, personal memories, and quiet hesitations that shape a person directly shape every line of verse. "AI might mimic form, but it can't understand the ache behind a word or the hesitation before a confession," she notes, drawing a clear line between technical replication and genuine, feeling-driven creation.
From Engineer to Artiste: The Stage as a Classroom
Nayab Midha's own artistic journey is unconventional. Originally trained as an engineer, she credits the stage itself as her true training ground. "Because I'm an engineer turned artiste — whatever I've learnt is on stage," she says, highlighting lived experience over formal education in the arts. Her creative process is deeply rooted in observation rather than invention. "I cannot make up stories; I can just express what I observe," she explains.
Growing up in a small town, her early poetry often wrestled with social realities and constraints, making her craft a form of quiet resistance. Over time, that focus evolved into deeper reflection and personal renewal. "It took me so many years of personal healing to talk about happy things on stage," she reveals. A significant part of her growth was learning to share vulnerability in a way that connects and entertains, rather than wearing it solely as a "badge of honour."
Reimagining Tradition: A Conscious and Equal Wedding
The same clarity and conviction that define her art extend to her personal life, notably in her approach to her own wedding. Midha consciously rejected rituals that did not align with her values, aiming to create a ceremony rooted in equality and sustainability. A key decision was to omit the kanyadaan ritual. "I was sure of doing away with kanyadaan," she states. "And, I wanted a female pandit."
Finding a female priest just two days before the wedding brought a transformative perspective. "She told me it was never kanyadaan. It was always kanya-var paani grahan, which means we both will take care of each other in life," Midha shares. This reinterpretation framed the ritual as one of mutual respect and partnership, challenging its often perceived one-sided nature. The entire event was intimate and intentional, prioritizing meaning over spectacle.
"All the vows were Sanskrit shlokas… There was no trousseau, just a token exchange. It was simple, equal, and sustainable," she describes, outlining her vision for a modern, mindful celebration.
Reflecting on her Kolkata visit, Midha expressed admiration for the city's ingrained cultural discourse. "I feel happily envious of Kolkata. Even the tea corner conversations are so intellectual and aware. Aaplog ko ye viraasat mein milaa hai (You people have inherited this)," she remarked. She also touched on the evolving audience for poetry, noting that while people everywhere seek novelty, the format of spoken word has unique power. "No one knew poetry could also entertain people... but to do it in a setup like this makes it unique," she said, pointing to the engaging, contemporary style that defines her performances.
