‘It’s not just a tourist hotspot, let’s talk about Konkan culture too’

Updated On: 07 July, 2024 07:40 AM IST | Mumbai | Junisha Dama

A first-of-its-kind Konkan talk series in English aims to bridge the language barrier for non-Marathi speakers who are curious about the region and its culture

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A Konkan home featuring Kaavi art, a unique form that features limestone and red soil pigment and is found only in this region

The mere mention of Konkan makes one think of beaches with swaying palm trees, and hinterlands with a landscape boasting red soil, hilly slopes, and riverine islands. But the Konkan belt is more than what meets the eye, says Dr Omkar Bhatkar, co-founder and head of St Andrew’s Centre for Philosophy & Performing Arts (SAPP). Its rich and untouched culture is rarely spoken of because “[of the] language barrier; I think whatever is written about Konkan, a large part of it is written in Marathi. It’s probably why it’s inaccessible to a wider audience. You need a conscious movement of people coming together to write about something and discuss it. That hasn’t happened much. You won’t find enough books in a library about Konkan,” he says.

Petroglyphs depicting fauna found in the Konkan are believed to have inspired poetry and philosophy