Kaavi is Goa’s only traditional native art technique. It gets its name from 'Kaav,' the Konkani word for the brownish-red pigment derived from Goa’s red iron-rich laterite soil. The walls of affluent Goan Hindu family homes, temples and even churches were painted with patterns using the pigment till about 150 years ago. There are no living artists practising the tradition today. At our Online Talk #KonkaniKala, archaeologist and researcher Sawani Shetye-Malik looks at Kaavi art as a representative example of the interactions between indigenous and foreign cultures that ruled Goa and discusses their impact on the styles and techniques of the art.

About the speaker

Sawani Shetye-Malik is an archaeologist by education with a specialisation in Ancient Indian History and Culture. She has pursued her Masters's Degree from the prestigious Deccan College Pune. She has researched on the Kaavi art of Goa and Karnataka. She has made use of her academic background and launched heritage tours to explore the real Goa through its temples, archaeological remains and local cultural experiences such as festivals and folk performance.