Naari is a collective,
curating poetry retreats
for women in India.
next retreat
Bir-Billing
Himachal Pradesh
05-07 June, 2026
what past participants say:
"Revelatory, peaceful, and liberating. It was like a home-coming, too. To myself. This is the most supported I’ve felt about my writing ever. And it’s been so encouraging that I’ve been brimming with ideas since then. I’d like to attend a retreat with you every few months if I could."
Harini, Actor & Poet
Cohort of March'24
what past participants say:
"An amazing experience of a life time. I grew as an artist, person, and writer. I will always carry these learnings with me. I loved getting to know the wonderful people who participated and facilitated the retreat, each of them are full of passion and talent and their unique voice truly set their identity apart."
Paridhi, Analyst & Poet
Cohort of March'24
what past participants say:
"beautiful - i found a path to myself - i found myself open to my senses in such a tender way - the women i was surrounded by gave me so much strength and hope - everything felt like we were being cared for which is such a rare feeling to find in the world - i was languishing in a solace that is so difficult to find"
Dania, Educator & Poet
Cohort of March'24
what past participants say:
"I'd describe this retreat as a slow evolution and a slow growth balanced with community and nature, learning and nurturing. The retreat taught me the act of holding on, and consistency towards your idea, which in turn made me breakthrough my patterns of monotony... This idea of not forgetting, holding on and honouring your idea and nourishing it via taking slower route and still thinking and polishing it."
Aastha, Curator & Poet
Cohort of October'25
what past participants say:
"Nothing like I had experienced before. Constructive, mesmerising, meditative. The 'togetherness' was so meaningful - what we created emerged from shared experineces and interactions in a healthy shared space. I came with an expectation to have a chance to be more in the present and in my body; make friends; learn about poetry - all these things happened beautifully, and more."
Pranjali, Social Impact Consultant & Poet
Cohort of October'25
what past participants say:
"The retreat was an excellent place to experience a lot. I loved the activities we got to participate in. I loved the pacing of the three days, the different components that gelled together, not to forget, the awesome cohort I was a part of. Being in the cohort created such a supportive atmosphere that I felt inclined to write and share more."
Vishakha, PR Professional & Poet
Cohort of October'25
what past participants say:
"It is difficult to pick out only one. But the most meaningful part of the retreat for me was how all of us carried a poem back. I didn't think I would be successful in coming up with an entirely new poem. Vaishnavi really drilled into us how poetry writing is a skill."
Aashima, Educator & Poet
Cohort of March'24
what past participants say:
"Mind blowing, fantastic, a place / platform where you can open up, show your wounds, offer support and be supported by the community. I think the all-women group is the USP of this retreat, which allowed a completely different level of bonding and sharing."
Reema, IT Professional & Poet
Cohort of March'24
what past participants say:
"This retreat has been the most fulfilling one. It was refreshing, and I felt that my creative muscles got retrained. The fluid structure of the program with deliberate timings along with how engaging it was made it very impactful for me. For me the most meaningful part of the retreat was to be able to open up and engage with myself and the cohort."
Aayushi, Banking Professional & Poet
Cohort of March'24
facilitator
Vaishnavi is the Editor-in-Chief of Ayaskala. She has published and mentored over 300 poets, refining thousands of poems along the way. With editorial experience at magazines like Perhappened and Homology Lit, she brings a deep understanding of what makes poetry truly resonate with the internal self and the external world.
"Vaishnavi is so kind and thoughtful, it reflects in her facilitation and anything she is a part of, and it is so beautiful to witness and experience. Her relationship with poetry is inspiring and it was so foundational in the way she facilitated the sessions and created a space for poetry to be birthed and rebirthed. I will say it again, this experience was so rare, so novel, you hardly find this anywhere else. " - Dania
"She is an inclusive facilitator with a nurturing presence. Every session with her had meaning, value and positivity. You could feel better coming out of it." - Vishakha
"Vaishnavi has been an unbreakable thread who bound all elements together in such a short span. She takes pauses, she listens, she brainstorms. These elements keeps the cohort intact while letting ideas, conversations, learning flow as is. I can be sure that i've planted a seed in my heart through these learning and flow practice with Vaishnavi which I will appreciate and pay gratitude all my life." - Aastha
"She's gentle and her presence is comforting, and she lead the entire retreat with utmost grace. All the activities were profound. She uplifted everyone, and never imposed any rigid rules that literally any person could've been uncomfortable with, and still turned each and every session into success. She's inspiring and so, so kind." - Bani
"Vaishnavi is amazing gifted human being. She has shared her space and experience in the retreat. Quietly led the group like a pied piper... she is a leader in true sense." - Reema
"There couldn't have been anyone better than Vaishnavi to conduct this retreat with the amount of experience she has. And her heart to make this amazing retreat accessible to all women is beautiful. The way she made us go deep with our material is mind blowing. I discovered things i otherwise wouldn't because of her sessions. I am super inspired by everything she has been doing!" - Achsah
The Property
A 10-Acre Tea-Garden Sanctuary
Open lawns, stone pathways, and quiet corners that are perfect for your creativity. Between sessions, you might find yourself wandering through the gardens, settling into a nook with your notebook, or watching the resident horses graze in the distance. Every inch of this place invites you to slow down and create.
