Chitari art survived Portuguese blitz, now seeks to reclaim purity

In the quaint little street of Demani, Cuncolim, Pradeep Chitari diligently works on painting ‘tarangas’ in his first-floor studio of his two-storey house, ensuring that they are ready for the upcoming temple jatra. These vibrant, umbrella-shaped flags feature mythological characters on their central posts. Pradeep’s family is one of the few remaining custodians of the traditional Chitari art, keeping it thriving and relevant.
The term Chitari stems from the Konkani word ‘chitarop’, meaning ‘to draw’. The iconic Chitari motif, featuring two parakeets and a flower on a paat (a low wooden stool), is a revered part of religious artefacts in Hindu households across Goa.
During Ganesh Chaturthi, the usually tranquil Demani ward at Cuncolim transforms into a hub of activity. People throng Chitari households to buy paats and ‘chourangs’ (pedestals for puja) or to place orders for ‘makhars’ (altars) and ‘matolis’ (wooden canopies above the makhar).
To meet the growing demand for Chitari art products, Pradeep has employed workers from Odisha, Jharkhand, and Bihar, and converted a part of his house on the ground floor to a workshop. Additionally, he now uses a machine to carve intricate designs on wood.
“Our art has been in existence from the time temples were built — it’s that old and has survived the onslaught of many foreign rulers, including the Portuguese,” Pradeep said. He and his two brothers have carried forward their father’s legacy.
While the signature art form and style have remained largely unchanged, the materials have evolved. In the past, more durable types of wood like ‘chivon’ and ‘bhendi’ were used, but due to the rising costs of timber, Chitaris have had to opt for lower-quality wood to maintain competitive prices. Moreover, organic brushes and colours used by Pradeep’s ancestors have been replaced by synthetic alternatives.
History scholar and researcher Rohit Phalgaonkar notes that the passage of time has taken a toll on Chitari art. “What is currently passed off as heritage is thematic art, a pale shadow of the original Chitari art,” he said. “In the olden days, organic dyes would be mixed with beeswax or natural resin to ensure that the paintings last longer, as the beeswax gets absorbed into the wood very fast.”
Phalgaonkar added, “Also, the colours used were vibrant. The current generation has lost the art of producing natural hues for organic substances. Now they use wood varnish. This isn’t what the art is supposed to be.”
Despite the challenges, the Chitaris have left their mark beyond the borders of Goa.
The origins of the Chitari clan are shrouded in mystery. While Pradeep believes his ancestors migrated to Sawantwadi in Maharashtra and some to Karnataka to escape Portuguese persecution, another theory suggests that their ancestors moved to Goa from Karnataka and settled at Cuncolim.
A small street called Chitari Ali, near the royal palace in Sawantwadi, is still renowned for its shops selling wooden toys and colourful ganjifa cards. Pradeep remembers that wooden toys were also crafted by the Chitaris in Goa until plastic toys gained popularity in the mid-twentieth century.
Phalgaonkar offers a different perspective, suggesting that the Chitaris may have either migrated or had been natives of those places, as the areas are part of the contiguous Konkan region that shares a common “environment-centric culture”. The images of parakeets and lotuses on the paats made by the Chitaris were likely inspired by the region’s environment.
The Chitaris belong to the multi-talented Vishwakarma clan, whose members excel in various traditional occupations such as carpentry, ironsmithing, and locksmithing, and are also exceptional theatre artists and musicians. While carpentry and carving come naturally to them, the Chitari art form has remained their exclusive domain.
The community is known for creating board games like ‘tabulfalem’ and ‘gudfalem’, building temple chariots (raths) and palanquins (palkhis), and decorating sabhamandap ceilings and pillars of temples with carvings. But Phalgaonkar believes that the Chitaris may have also been involved in various other crafts, a rich heritage that may have slid into oblivion.
“The cultural destruction that the Portuguese wreaked on Goa was huge,” Phalgaonkar said, “It is very difficult to ascertain what we lost. The Portuguese ensured that such cultural heritage was completely eradicated. All that was connected with temples was sought to be destroyed, leaving behind no traces of the mandir sanskriti.”
Phalgaonkar strongly advocates for the Chitaris’ return to their roots by sourcing the right kind of wood and using natural dyes and brushes to preserve the heritage art form.
As organic products are now in high demand, from food and clothing to housing and tourism, it is only prudent for the Chitaris to embrace their ancestors’ organic approach. “They can still charge a premium, yet there will be no dearth of buyers,” Phalgaonkar said.