The Kaavi art is said to have originated in Goa and was carried to coastal Karnataka, Maharashtra, and Kerala through the Saraswat Brahmin community that migrated from Goa to the coastal districts of these states. They later built the temples for their deities and embroidered them with Kaavi paintings. They took up this art as a means of livelihood and soon became skilled at Kaavi kale. Over time it crossed the religious barrier and found its way into the churches and households.
These motifs symbolize coastal flora and fauna. They can be seen in the 12th century CE palm-leaf manuscripts found in Moodabidri, Karnataka, and timber carvings in domestic and temple architecture. Another ancient motif used in the Archbishop’s Palace (built-in 1562 – 1619), near Se Cathedral, in Goa, is the Gandaberunda – a two-headed bird considered to be an avatar of the Hindu god Vishnu. This motif has been found in the seals used in the Kadamba dynasty (4th century CE), the Chalukya dynasty (6th – 12th century CE), and the Hoysala dynasty (10th to 14th century CE). It has also been found on the coins used during the rule of the Vijayanagara Empire (15th century CE) and later during the Kingdom of Mysore. Some historians believe Kaavi Kale was performed in some of the Manueline architecture in Goa as can be seen in the chapel of the Lady of the Mount (commissioned in 1510 and completed in 1519) and the Saint Augustine tower (1602).
The size of these murals is something between two-feet by three-feet to six-feet by six-feet. Apart from the walls, these sketches are also made of window and door frames. While sequences from mythology are generally drawn, the artist uses nature and folk motifs for decoration. Though these drawings are mostly symbolic, the artists pay close attention to detail which is remarkable and some also try to give a three-dimensional effect to the drawings.
Temples and other private buildings in this area are built with cut-out laterite stones. Locally available materials are used for plastering. Snow white lime is obtained by burning seashells and washed sand from river beds. It is mixed with jaggery and is allowed to ferment for two weeks. The mixture is then hand-pounded to obtain a homogeneous substance, which hardens when applied to the walls. On the wet walls on which Kavi pictures are to be carved, a buttery smooth mixture of lime and uramunji is tarnished with a steel trowel. To cover larger areas, a wooden float is also employed. After an hour, engraving work commences. Large and complicated motifs are first drawn on paper, holed with pinholes, and then traced on the wall by dusting the pinholes with dry lime.
"Kanthas" (steel bodkins) of different sizes and dimensions are used for etching. At this stage, any deformity in the murals may be rectified with ease. Water is sprayed on the murals at four-hour intervals for a week after a day of initial drying. The murals are polished with smooth pebbles from the riverbeds after each spray. This treatment prevents any cracks and ensures that the murals last as long as the building itself.
They stand out from the other forms as they are usually located either on raised platforms or in niches. Even a window or a ventilator may become part of a mural. A broad border runs all along with the murals, which may be either square or rectangular. The top is generally semi-circular in shape with a decorative mukuta (crown), kalasa (decorative pot), or gopuram (peak of the dome) located on it.
The artists make sure that at least two-thirds of the wall is covered with the motif. One part of the frame is with Images of gods, goddesses, and human figures, and another part is occupied with screens, curtains, pendant lamps, and globes. Plants, stems, and leaves are also used for the same purpose.
Sequences from the Ramayana, the Mahabharata, and the Bhagavata Purana are also selected by the Kaavi artist for his murals. For instances, in a mural depicting Draupadi, her head decorations, pig-tail, ornaments, blouse, and saree designs are engraved in such minute detail that one can use the painting to study dresses and ornaments from that period. The Dashavatara (the ten avatars of Lord Vishnu) can be seen on the walls of Vaishnava temples, and Shiva-Purana themes are used on the walls of Shaivite temples. Different artists may select the same subject but adapt an entirely different depiction.
This indigenous art form of the Konkan Coast is today on the verge of extinction. However, it is not lost. Taken the right conservation strategies, awareness, and skill generation can still ensure the survival of this art form for future generations. Although not everything survives forever, if future generations are made aware of the richness of our traditions and culture, it may perhaps lead towards a more sustainable future.
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