The Kaavi Art - The Chronicle of The Indian Artistry
How fascinating would it be to have a form of art that has trapped history in it and awaits to unwind the secret messages of the past? One such lost form of craft is the Kaavi art!
The Kaavi art is a deeply pigmented monochromatic mural that was seamlessly created with raw natural earthy elements, which exuberantly convey the rich cultural folklore of our ancestors.
Kaavi art was born in the 16th century and typically originated in the Konkan region, gradually spreading along the western coastal belt of India. The term Kaavi refers to the Indian red pigment that was procured naturally from the laterite soil that stretched along the coast of Goa.
('Khuttyale'/Wooden Cloth hanger with Chitari Art hung on the wall)
The three substantial elements of Kaavi art were lime, sand and jaggery.
The seashells from the shallow beaches of Goa were handpicked and ground to form a snow white lime that was thoroughly mixed with the mineral rich red pigmented laterite soil and jaggery. This solid red mixture was then allowed to ferment for over a couple of weeks, and thus finally the peculiar base to create this celebrated form of art got ready.
On a wet sandblasted wall, the reddish creamy sleek base mixture was smeared with a steel trowel and was allowed to solidify for over an hour. The engraving process then commenced, which was skilfully handled by the master Kaavi art masons, who profoundly etched some of the spellbinding murals of the time. The Kaavi art with its eminent pictorial representation was prominently found across the temples of Goa, which significantly reflected the civilisation, lifestyle, tales and practices of the ancient Indians.
Deep beneath the monochromatic pigments of the Kaavi art are sunken the echoing unheard stories of antiquity, striving to exhibit its pristine history in the fast paced present. To stop the depletion of this rich embodiment of heritage, we at Goa Decor are on a mission to revive this alluring form of art by painting replicas of original Kaavi art from the temples of Goa, Karnataka & Maharashtra! Let's plunge into some wholesome art and celebrate Indian craftsmanship!
We have used natural earthen colours for all the Kaavi artwork and framed them with handcrafted wooden frames. A set of 3 in combination with mounts of grey, maroon and white has been displayed at the studio.
All paintings at the studio are the artwork of our Master Artist Raj Halankar (Ex Professor - J J School of Applied Art, Mumbai).
Reviving Heritage,
For the love of Goa by a Goan,
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Editorial credit: Akshita Ramlingam
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