One of Goa’s most treasured crafts is the wood carving of Chitari art, a skill passed down through generations. Once admired for its grand Baroque and Rococo designs during Portuguese rule, this craft has been fading due to a lack of support.
In Goa history speaks through its architecture, its landscapes, and its craftsmanship. Among its many artistic traditions, wood carving stands out as a craft deeply woven into the cultural fabric of the region.
Passed down through generations, it is more than just an occupation – it is an identity, carefully shaped by skilled hands, chiseling stories into teak and rosewood.
The age-old craft of Chitari art stands as a testament to the rich artistic heritage of Goa and Maharashtra. This intricate folk art, once an essential part of temple decorations and household artifacts, has long been practiced by the Chitari community, who were originally the Shirodkars of Goa.
The children don’t want to learn and people don’t want to buy. If this art isn’t protected, it will fade like an old story no one remembers to tell.
The name “Chitari”, meaning “one who paints,” was bestowed upon them by locals, recognising their exceptional skill in ornamenting wooden objects with vivid hand-painted motifs.
At the heart of this craft lies a blend of natural materials like lacquer, gum (dink), and powdered pigments, meticulously applied to wooden surfaces. A signature element of this art is the hand-painted parrot design, gracefully adorning raised wooden planks (paath).
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The heart of this craft beats strongest in the hands of the Chari and Chitari communities, who make up over 71 percent of the total households and population engaged in wood carving.
Their work is complemented by artisans from the Kharvi, Catholic Christian, and Bhandari communities, who together account for the remaining 29 percent.
However, like many traditional crafts, wood carving in Goa has long been a male-dominated practice. Of the 78 artisans recorded, 77 are men, with only one woman participating. She assists her husband in carpentry and turnery work. The Chari community leads the craft, employing 60 percent of the workforce, followed by Chitaris (17 percent), Kharvis (9 percent), Catholic Christians (8 percent), and Bhandaris (6 percent).
Yet, amidst these statistics, one observation stands out – there are no young apprentices. Not a single artisan under the age of 15 has taken up the trade, raising a silent question about the craft’s future.
The Chari artisans specialise in religious statues, carving biblical figures and saints in remarkable detail.
But their skills extend beyond sacred imagery to functional and decorative pieces. They make furniture for homes, items like dining tables, dressing tables, cupboards, cots, teapoys, and intricately designed mirror frames.
Showpieces such as carved birds, elegant showcases, and palkis (palanquins) for special occasions are also popular. And then there’s temple craftsmanship such as majestic mandaps (a canopied structure) and palkis, carrying the essence of Goa’s spiritual heritage.
These creations are rarely mass-produced. Instead, they are made on order, ensuring each piece carries a touch of exclusivity. Maharaja chairs, with their high, ornate backs, remain in high demand, while carved photo frames, mirror frames, and eagle statues add character to homes and temples alike.
In Sawantwadi (a taluka in Maharashtra), two distinguished artisans have dedicated their lives to this craft. Until the 18th century, the Kingdom of Sawantwadi encompassed a significant portion of what is now North Goa, including Pedne, Bicholim, and Sattari, along with Kudal and Vengurla, which are now part of Sindhudurg district in Maharashtra.
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Today, Pundlik Govind Chitari and Balu Sakharam Chitari are no more but their names remain etched in history as the last known artisans to receive formal recognition for their mastery of Chitari art.
In October 1965, both were honoured with the Shilpi Kendra Award in Mumbai – an acknowledgment that, tragically, was never extended to any Chitari artist after them.
At the time of recognition, Pundlik Govind Chitari, aged 65, was the last surviving craftsman dedicated to making Ganjifa playing cards, a dying art form that faded due to a lack of demand.
His intricate, hand-painted designs once adorned royal courts and temple spaces, but as modernity took over, these delicate works became relics of the past. As predicted, with his passing, the craft of Ganjifa card-making in Sawantwadi was also lost forever.
Balu Sakharam Chitari, then 45, carried forward the tradition of crafting wooden imitation fruits, a skill passed down through generations. Assisted by his wife, he meticulously shaped and painted lifelike fruits, once a prized decorative element in Maharashtrian and Goan homes.
When monsoons halted his woodwork, he turned to sculpting clay Ganapati idols, ensuring that his hands never remained idle. But with time, both his craft and its recognition dwindled.
“Our art is as old as the temples themselves,” says 35-year-old Nelson Thomas Dantas, his voice carrying the weight of time. Once rooted in Sawantwadi, now living in North Goa, he has watched generations drift away from the craft that survived invasions, outlived empires, and still clings to life in the villages of Chimbel, Cuncolim, and Loliem in Goa and Sawantwadi in Maharashtra.
“Parents no longer buy these wooden toys. Shiny plastic ones with flashing lights have taken over. The wood is scarce, the hands willing to shape it even scarcer. The children don’t want to learn and people don’t want to buy. If this art isn’t protected, it will fade like an old story no one remembers to tell,” he adds.
Behind Dantas’s home in Sawantwadi, a factory still breathes with the rhythm of Chitari artisans, the scent of wood and paint lingering in the air. But every day, the sounds grow quieter. Fewer hands carve, and fewer brushes paint.
Wood carving in Goa is a testament to resilience. It is an art that has survived colonial neglect, changing economies, and shifting tastes.
Yet, the absence of young artisans raises concerns. Will this craft continue to thrive, or will it fade into nostalgia, remembered only in museum displays and old Goan homes?
For now, the rhythmic tapping of chisels continues in the villages of Chimbel, Cuncolim, and Loliem, where artisans carve not just wood, but the legacy of Goa itself, one masterpiece at a time.
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The lead image on top shows finished Chitari artifacts arranged for sale, showcasing the intricate craftsmanship of this traditional Goan art form. (Photo by Nelson Thomas Dantas)
Akansha Deshmukh is an independent investigative journalist operating primarily in central India.
