Taking Goa’s Kaavi art to Rashtrapati Bhavan

Kaavi artist Sagar Naik Mule is taking a centuries-old Goan art form to a national stage, as he joins the Artist-in-Residence programme at Rashtrapati Bhavan from April 15 to 20. For the artist, the invitation is both unexpected and deeply meaningful—an opportunity to showcase a nearly forgotten tradition at the country’s highest seat of power.

“It is a great honour for me to take Kaavi art to the Rashtrapati Bhavan. It will be a permanent collection, and will represent the state of Goa's art. Today,” says Sagar, speaking from Delhi.

He travelled to the capital with Goa’s tambdi maati (red soil), intending to incorporate it into his work. “Currently, the festivities of Lairai Zatra in Shirgao are going on in Goa. I had visited the temple and I have carried the soil from there too, which I will be mixing with the tambdi maati,” he shares.

For the artist, the soil is more than just a medium, it is symbolic. “Goa's soil has a lot of positivity and it's because of this that the art is being taken forward,” he says. His work at the residency will reflect Goan culture, including depictions inspired by the deity Lairai.

The programme will see participation from artists across India, each showcasing their regional art forms.