Kala Pravas 2026: 10 artists take art to communities across Maharashtra on a 14-day road journey

Children become a part of Kumba Project held in Singapur village in Murbad. PICS COURTESY/Earthian Art Foundation

While reading a story, listening to a poem, or gazing at a painting, something stirs within - joy, unease, a question. Often, unbeknownst, we become part of someone else's world. It is in search of that experience that 10 individuals including actors, musicians, sculptors, printmakers, poets and multidisciplinary practitioners have set out together on the road, in the second season of Kala Pravas.

People from the community attend the Iblis workshop held by the Foundation at Karjat

"Most spaces are restricted to one form of art, but imagine what can happen when different art forms come together to connect across dimensions." says social worker and artist Mourvika Nanore. That idea sits at the heart of the initiative, founded by visual artist Pratik Jadhav, who spent four years cycling across India, researching deeply about India's folk and tribal art traditions. On his return in 2019, he and his friends started the Earthian Art Foundation in Mumbai, an NGO spreading awareness of art, culture, and environment.

Pratik Jadhav and Mourvika Nanore

Yesterday, a 14-day road journey began from Kolhapur will head to Pune, halting at Ichalkaranji, Andur, Rui, Kankavali, Devgad, Satara, and Baramati, where they will meet communities, schools, colleges and local artists. At each stop, the group will stage performances, build collaborative artwork, and run workshops for students, teenagers and senior citizens, connecting people to art. "It is an experiment to engage with different artists and learn about their journeys, their struggles," says Jadhav. The journey ends on September 24 with a show in Pune, featuring all forms of art created along the way.

The trail eventually leads to Palu, a village in Murbad, where Earthian envisions a permanent art centre for folk and traditional practices, located near the Sahyadris. "We aim to create a space where all kinds of artists and artistes, as well as others, can come together to experiment. The intent is to make any form of art come to life," says Nanore.

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