Jaipur: Kalaneri, founded and directed by Soumya Vijay Sharma, introduced ‘Kala Setu’—a new inclusive and multidimensional community platform connecting people through art, culture, knowledge, dialogue and shared responsibility. The initiative was launched during a ‘Sustainable Conscious Living’ programme organised in collaboration with Save Our City NGO, founded by Anu Sogani.
‘Kala Setu’, meaning ‘a bridge through art’, aims to bring people closer to one another and to nature. The platform is not limited to artists and welcomes teachers, professionals, entrepreneurs, students, homemakers, artisans, social workers and citizens who believe in learning, meaningful dialogue and contributing positively to society.
The three core principles of Kala Setu are Connect, Celebrate and Contribute. The initiative seeks to connect people with new ideas and with one another, promote respect for art, heritage, creativity and traditional knowledge, and transform awareness into responsible action. It will organise dialogues, exhibitions, workshops, art and craft showcases, cultural programmes, knowledge-sharing sessions and community initiatives.
Addressing the gathering, Soumya Sharma said, “Kala Setu was born from a simple belief—that the quality of our lives depends on how well we relate to ourselves, to one another and to nature. We do not need to be perfect to live responsibly. We only need to become more conscious of what we use, what we waste and what we leave behind.”
The programme also highlighted the deep relationship between art, craft, culture and nature. Kalaneri believes that art has always drawn inspiration from nature. From natural colours, clay, wood, bamboo and natural fibres to traditional craft practices across India and the world, communities have transformed the materials, forms and rhythms of nature into cultural expressions.
Through Kala Setu, Kalaneri aims to take this understanding beyond art galleries and studios and into everyday life. The platform will encourage people to view creativity not merely as the process of making art, but also as a way of observing, understanding and responding responsibly to the world around them.
The programme also focused on several sustainable and conscious practices in daily life, including water conservation and reuse, reducing waste, avoiding single-use plastic, choosing reusable products, minimising unnecessary packaging, reusing old clothes, avoiding unnecessary purchases, adopting traditional cooling methods, planting more trees, choosing public transport or walking wherever possible, and making thoughtful decisions about energy use and household products.
Dr Shyama, VP of Kitchen Garden Organisation, spoke about understanding and incorporating everyday needs and practices in the kitchen. Dr Aparna Makkar, who runs an NGO that helps women transform old and discarded items into useful products, also shared her perspective. Artist Aditi, a former student of Kalaneri, demonstrated how discarded fans can be transformed into beautiful works of art through painting and creativity.
The collaboration with Save Our City reflects a shared commitment to creating cities that grow and develop while maintaining their connection with nature, heritage and human sensitivity.
Anu Sogani said, “Every meaningful movement begins when people stop asking, ‘Who is responsible?’ and start asking, ‘How can I contribute?’ Kala Setu aspires to create spaces where dialogue can turn into collaboration and awareness into action.”
Kala Setu is not limited to the artistic community. It is a collective effort to bring together people from diverse fields and backgrounds, encourage the exchange of ideas and make conscious living a part of everyday behaviour.
Sharma added, “I do not hope that Kala Setu becomes the largest community. My hope is that it becomes the most conscious community. Conscious people create conscious families, conscious families create conscious neighbourhoods, and conscious neighbourhoods build conscious cities.”
About Kala Setu:
Kala Setu is a multidimensional community initiative by Kalaneri that brings together art, culture, heritage, knowledge, nature and conscious living. Its objective is to create meaningful opportunities for dialogue, learning, collaboration and community participation.
About Kalaneri:
Kalaneri, founded by Soumya Sharma, is an art and cultural organisation that promotes art, craft, heritage, creativity and cultural knowledge while encouraging deeper connections between art, nature and society.