Jaipur: Cartist is setting out on an approximately 3,500-kilometre journey across Rajasthan to document lesser-known stories of the state’s artists, craftspeople, food traditions, architecture and communities, marking the first chapter of its new initiative, ‘Stories of Indian Cities’.
The Rajasthan journey, scheduled from September 4 to 23, will take the team through cities, towns and villages across several cultural regions of the state. At the centre of the expedition is a specially designed Art Car, transformed into a travelling canvas representing different Rajasthani artistic and craft traditions.
The initiative seeks to look beyond Rajasthan’s familiar postcard image of forts, palaces and major tourist attractions and focus instead on the people, skills and traditions that continue to shape the state’s cultural identity.
Starting from Jaipur, the route will cover Samode, Shekhawati, Bikaner, Nagaur, Jodhpur, Osian, Pokhran, Jaisalmer, Barmer, Balotra, Jawai, Ranakpur, Nathdwara, Udaipur, Dungarpur, Banswara, Chittorgarh, Bundi, Kota, Sawai Madhopur, Bharatpur, Deeg, Kaman, Alwar and Abhaneri, before returning to the state capital.
Over roughly 20 days, the Cartist team plans to meet artists, craftspeople, folk performers, musicians, traditional artisans, local food practitioners, small businesses and families associated with occupations and traditions passed down through generations.
Art Car Becomes a Travelling Cultural Canvas
The specially created Art Car is intended to be more than transportation for the expedition. Its exterior, developed over nearly 45 days by artist Shrikant Ranga, combines visual influences from several traditions associated with Rajasthan.
The design draws inspiration from Rajasthani Kathputli art, Bikaner’s Badla art and Udaipur’s wooden toys, bringing elements from different parts of the state onto a single moving canvas.
The vehicle’s interior has also been developed around regional craftsmanship. A team led by Himanshu Jangid has used traditional textiles and fabrics from Barmer to give the cabin a distinctly Rajasthani character.
The result is effectively a gallery on wheels — albeit one that has rather more kilometres to cover than the average exhibition.
As it moves from one destination to another, the Art Car is expected to become part of the visual documentation itself, carrying representations of Rajasthan’s artistic traditions through the regions where many of those traditions originated.
Focus on Craftspeople and Traditions Away From the Spotlight
The project will document folk art, paintings, murals and traditional artistic practices, with particular attention to craftspeople who continue to work with techniques inherited across generations.
Organisers said the team will search for crafts that continue to survive in smaller towns and villages, particularly those that receive relatively little mainstream attention.
The documentation will examine not only the finished objects or performances, but also the people behind them and the challenges involved in preserving traditional skills as lifestyles, markets and consumer preferences change.
Rajasthan’s Food Stories Go Beyond Familiar Dishes
Food is another major theme of the journey, although the project intends to move beyond Rajasthan’s most widely recognised dishes.
The team plans to document local recipes, grains, ingredients and cooking practices shaped by the state’s climate, availability of resources and regional lifestyles.
It will also explore the histories behind traditional recipes and examine how culinary practices are changing over time.
The approach reflects a broader attempt to treat food not simply as something served on a plate, but as a record of geography, necessity, community and memory.
Architecture Beyond Rajasthan’s Famous Forts
The expedition will also examine Rajasthan’s architectural heritage beyond its celebrated forts and palaces.
Old homes, havelis, markets, temples, gateways, courtyards, chhatris and other examples of local architecture are expected to feature in the documentation.
Rather than considering such structures in isolation, the project plans to explore how they relate to the communities, occupations and ways of life that developed around them.
Traditional Water Systems Get Special Attention
Rajasthan’s centuries-old methods of managing scarce water resources will form another important component of the project.
The team will document baoris, or stepwells, along with kunds, taankas, ponds and traditional water-harvesting systems developed by communities over generations.
Water scarcity has played a significant role in shaping settlements and everyday life across much of Rajasthan, leading to locally adapted systems for collecting, conserving and storing water.
The project plans to examine how that traditional knowledge evolved and what relevance such systems may continue to hold today.
People Remain at Centre of Project
Folk music, traditional instruments, clothing, festivals, rituals and occupations will also be recorded during the journey.
The project says its primary focus will remain on people — including artists, farmers, shopkeepers, cooks, musicians, artisans and families who continue traditions inherited from previous generations.
Through interviews and visual documentation, the team intends to explore not only how a tradition appears, but who sustains it, why it remains significant and how it is adapting to changing circumstances.
Aim to Build Archive of India’s Living Heritage
Himanshu Jangid, Founder of Cartist and ‘Stories of Indian Cities’, said his experience of working with artists and craftspeople had highlighted the large body of knowledge and cultural history held by such communities, much of which remains undocumented.
He said, “Through this initiative, we want to create a living document of India’s culture one that gives space to craftspeople, artists, heritage and the stories that often remain untold. Rajasthan is our first chapter, and after this journey, we aim to travel across India to discover and bring forward the stories of different cities, communities and regions.”
According to Cartist, the Rajasthan expedition is intended to be the opening chapter of a wider project covering other parts of India.
As heritage debates increasingly extend beyond monuments to include skills, livelihoods, oral histories and everyday traditions, projects such as ‘Stories of Indian Cities’ reflect a broader effort to document culture while it is still being practised — not merely after it has found a place behind museum glass.
