The keeper of the Kaavi legacy

By pioneering research and restoration, Janardhan Havanje is safeguarding a waning style of art

Janardhan Rao Havanje is one of the rare individuals who can clearly articulate his raison d'être. “Reviving the vanishing art form of Kaavi is the objective of my lifetime,” says Janardhan. 

For the past 22 years, Janardhan has been involved in reviving the distinctive coastal art form. The murals, created using contrasting red and white dual tones, are predominantly found in temples, churches, mosques, basadis, homes and village junctions in Karnataka, Goa and Maharashtra.

“The form draws influence from elements of mythology and folklore,” Janardhan says. The designs are usually inspired by flora, fauna and mythology. 

Some examples of Kaavi murals can be found in the Mahalasa Narayani temple in Kumta and the Shantikamba temple in Hegade in Uttara Kannada district, Gokarna mutt in Mangaluru, and Kolluru Mookambika temple and Pete Venkataramana temple in Kundapur.

Floral and geometrical patterns created using the Kaavi technique can be seen in various churches and cathedrals in Goa including the Archbishop's Palace, the Museum of Christian Art and St Augustine's Church.

The rapid decline of this art form prompted Janardhan to begin researching its restoration. “Unfortunately, 65% of these sites have been renovated or demolished over time, leading to the loss of many Kaavi artworks,” he laments. He later pursued doctoral studies focused on the Kaavi art form to better understand and preserve it.

Labour intensive

Janardhan Rao Havanje

The restoration of Kaavi artwork is a labour-intensive process, also complicated by the scarcity of skilled artisans. “The colours are made from natural pigments such as shell lime and a fine powder of laterite stone, referred to as 'kaavi', 'kave' or ‘huramunji’,” says Janardhan. He found that artisans of the yesteryears used cashew husk oil, the juices of wood apple (bilva) and lianas (creepers) as binding agents.

The base layer of plaster, which is a mixture of fine sand and lime, is white and coarse. The finely powdered laterite stone makes up the top layer, and is smooth. Jaggery is used as the binding agent. 

Once the base layer is set, a layer of red colour is applied evenly. Later, the top layer is carefully carved before it dries fully. 

“An art form is never stagnant, and Kaavi is not an exception,” Janardhan says. 

Preserving a legacy

Janardhan Rao Havanje

Janardhan would often go in search of old sites housing the mural art. One such visit was to the Katyayani Baneshwara temple in Avarsa, Uttara Kannada. 

Padmanabha Prabhu, the managing trustee of the temple, recalls how Janardhan volunteered to restore the Kaavi art at the temple. “The materials and methodologies used in the original artwork were studied so they could be recreated accurately,” Prabhu says. This was Janardhan’s first full-fledged restoration assignment. 

It took 15 days for Janardhan and his team of five to restore the murals. Janardhan recreated Kaavi art authentically, using lime, herbs, a red pigment from laterite stones, and other organic materials,” Prabhu adds.  

The trend of renovating temples started in the 1980s, resulting in an immense loss of Kaavi art in the region. “Every year, two to three temples are renovated by removing the old structures,” he notes. 

Restoration also involves detailed cleaning sessions to remove fungus, dust and layers of paint, revealing the original artwork. In some cases, murals require restoration to fill cracks. When the original artwork is beyond repair, it is recreated. 

Janardhan has restored Kaavi art in temples in Goa, and work on four temples in Uttara Kannada is currently underway.

He has also created Kaavi art in more than 50 houses in and around Udupi and Mangaluru. The creation and restoration of Kaavi art are funded by the respective organisations. 

“There are only a few who truly understand the value of Kaavi art and wish to preserve it in places of worship,” he says.

Documenting the past

Janardhan Rao Havanje

To trace the history and stylistic choices of previous generations of artists, Janardhan undertook extensive documentation work in Uttara Kannada between 2008 and 2018.

On one of his visits, children playing cricket asked him to retrieve a ball that had fallen onto the roof of a temple. While doing so, Janardhan’s keen eyes discovered 180-year-old Kaavi murals. He also found the names of artisans Narayana Gavade and Suryajirao etched in Kannada.

This discovery fuelled his passion to search for more such murals, accelerating his documentation efforts, Janardhan recalls. 

To date, he has documented the works of 30 Kaavi artists and more than 800 sites in Karnataka and Goa. 

Noted Bengaluru-based artist Shantamani Muttaiah explains that the research and practice of Kaavi art is a ray of hope in the context of vanishing ancient art traditions in  Karnataka. 

“Janardhan’s Kaavi art in Mangaluru International Airport has garnered much attention and there is a need for more such projects. Additionally, restoration works done with great care by artists like Janardhan, who take a scholarly approach, are crucial,” she adds.  

A S Vishwanath, artist and former principal of the Chitra Kala Mandira, Udupi, notes that Havanje’s various experiments have been important in preserving Kaavi art. 

Over the years, the artist has developed his own style, incorporating themes from nature, folklore and Hindu mythological scriptures.

He hails from an agrarian family in Havanje village, Udupi district. His father, Manjunath Rao Havanje is a Yakshagana guru. This inspired Janardhan to integrate Yakshagana ornaments and cloth draping style into his murals. 

As part of his documentation process, Janardhan draws maps of identified sites and mentions the various styles including mandala patterns, pictures of deities and floral designs and uses geo-tagging to specifically locate the place where the artwork is from.  

He has also documented the different methods used by artisans, including how the mortar was prepared. This information is available on an open-source platform for research purposes.

Janardhan conducts workshops and seminars on Kaavi art to promote the tradition across the country. “I plan to conduct Kaavi art workshops for children in government schools in the future,” he adds. Janardhan has also trained around 1,000 art graduates.

As a continuation of his work, Janardhan has established the Bhaasa Gallery and Studio and Kaavi Art Foundation. He currently employs eight Kaavi artists.

Keerthi Sasthana, an art graduate and Kaavi artist, says, “I got several opportunities to exhibit my Kaavi art through collaborations with Janardhan Havanje.” After such exhibitions, more youngsters in the region are showing interest in learning it, Keerthi adds.

Miniature Kaavi art, created by Janardhan, in the form of framed mandala patterns and fridge magnets, has become quite popular. These miniatures have been instrumental in making Kaavi art more familiar to a wider audience.

Through the Kaavi Art Foundation, Janardhan is currently working to obtain a Geographical Indication (GI) tag for Kaavi art.

“Just like Kinnala art and Athangudi tiles, Kaavi should gain access to international marketing platforms. Awarding the GI tag to Kaavi will help preserve the art form. As its brand value grows, existing artists will be motivated to continue practising it professionally,” Janardhan adds.