Goa's 'Kaavi' art and its fading legacy

WHISPERS OF A FORGOTTEN ART

If you're familiar with folk art forms like Warli and Madhubani, then you’ve probably heard of Goa’s very own Kaavi art. Or perhaps you haven't?

VIBRANT HUE

If you haven't, then Kaavi is a stunning monochromatic art form rooted in Goa's ethos. Kaav refers to red soil (geru), derived from laterite, which is used to create this intricate art.

WHERE WALLS TELL STORIES

Kaavi art is seen in Goa, Konkan, and coastal Karnataka, where it adorns the walls of temples, churches, and heritage homes.

ETCHED IN TIME

Kaavi is a skilled masonry craft where walls are plastered with lime (known as chuno in the local language) and coated with a paste of sap and jaggery. Designs are then either carved or stenciled onto the surface.

DIVINE PATTERNS

Kaavi art motifs include lotus buds, flowers, geometric patterns, gods, goddesses, kings, animals, and birds. Each design is a divine reflection, a cosmic dance of earth and spirit.

ORIGINALITY, LOST IN TIME

Kaavi art graces the walls of many temples, but few have used the original technique to craft the motifs. One notable exception is the renovated Sapta Koteshwar Temple in Narve.

FINE EXAMPLE OF GRACE

Zolambe's Mauli Temple, near Dodamarg in Maharashtra, which is now under renovation, was one of the fine examples showcasing the varied motifs of the traditional Kaavi art form, inspired by flora and fauna.

A FADING LEGACY

The Museum of Christian Art, in Old Goa, stands as a guardian, preserving the whispers of this unique heritage—traces of a rich legacy that time has slowly worn away, yet still echoes through every piece on display.

SPIRIT OF THE SOIL

Born from the very soil beneath our feet, Kaavi is a reflection of our land’s deep-rooted legacy and identity, etched in every stroke and hue.

VANISHING ART

Sadly, temple renovations threaten this art form as original designs are repainted with chemical colours, erasing its authenticity due to negligence and lack of awareness.

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