Tag: Indian Art

Events in Goa

Serendipity Arts Festival Returns to Goa for Its Landmark 10th Edition

Tanisha Cardozo

Written by Tanisha Cardozo || Team Allycaral

Serendipity Arts Festival is set to return to Panjim, Goa, from 12–21 December 2025 for its landmark 10th edition, offering a 10-day celebration of music, dance, theatre, visual arts, craft, photography, and immersive experiences for all ages. This December, Panjim will once again transform into a nucleus of creativity, presenting over 250 projects curated by more than 35 leading voices. The Festival unites artists, performers, chefs, musicians, designers, and storytellers from across India and the world, promising families, students, travellers, and culture enthusiasts a vibrant and unforgettable experience.

Over the past decade, Serendipity Arts Festival has embraced a nomadic spirit, bringing its celebration to cities across India and beyond. From Birmingham to Ahmedabad, Delhi, Varanasi, Chennai, Gurugram, and Dubai, the Festival has fostered artistic exchange, cultural exploration, and community engagement, culminating in Goa for its largest edition yet. Founder–Patron Sunil Kant Munjal reflects that culture builds empathy, cultivates leadership, and teaches what education alone cannot—kindness, patience, and the ability to hold multiple perspectives. The Festival transforms public spaces into living canvases of creativity and supports hundreds of emerging artists across South Asia.

The 10th edition of Serendipity Arts Festival is rooted in sustainability, inclusivity, and accessibility. Events are family-friendly, mostly free to attend, and spread across walkable routes with free shuttles connecting venues. The Festival unfolds across multiple locations in Panjim, including the Old GMC Complex, Art Park, Festival Barge along the Mandovi, and the Nagalli Hills Arena. Accessibility features, volunteer assistance, sustainable practices, and interactive sessions for children and individuals with special needs reflect the Festival’s commitment to responsible cultural growth.

Visitors are encouraged to follow hygiene and safety guidelines, including responsible parking, shuttle usage, and use of refillable water bottles. First-aid facilities and information desks are available at all venues. While most projects are free with registration, tickets for limited events can be booked online via the Festival website or app.

As it celebrates ten years, Serendipity Arts Festival remains committed to its simple yet powerful vision: culture is for everyone. With its expansive and diverse program across disciplines, the Festival invites audiences to Goa not just for a holiday, but for a celebration of creativity, connection, and community. Registrations are now open for the 2025 edition, and audiences can book their Art Pass, explore workshops, exhibitions, and performances, and stay updated with the latest announcements on the Festival website.

Travel

A Treasury of Life: India’s Largest Exhibition of Company Paintings Opens in Goa

Tanisha Cardozo

Written by Tanisha Cardozo || Team Allycaral Travel Desk

DAG, in collaboration with the Department of Tourism, Government of Goa, is presenting A Treasury of Life: Indian Company Paintings, c. 1790–1835, the most comprehensive exhibition of Company Paintings ever mounted in India. Opening on 1 December 2025 at the Aguad Port & Jail Complex and running until 14 January 2026, the exhibition brings together 200 extraordinary works created by Indian artists who worked for European patrons in the late 18th and early 19th centuries.

Company paintings have long occupied an ambiguous position in Indian art history, often viewed as too late for the classical court tradition yet too early for modernism. This exhibition challenges that notion by showing how these artists blended indigenous techniques with Western influences, responding creatively to new patrons and subjects. Their work spans natural history, architecture, and depictions of daily life—each rendered with a mix of accuracy, sensitivity, and innovation. These paintings not only document India’s flora, fauna, built heritage, and social customs but also preserve memories of worlds that have since transformed or disappeared.

Curated by Giles Tillotson, SVP at DAG, the exhibition includes works by celebrated artists such as Sita Ram, Sewak Ram, and Chuni Lal, alongside European references by artists like James Forbes and F.B. Solvyns that help illuminate the artistic dialogue of the time. The showcase highlights how Indian artists forged a new visual language, laying the groundwork for future developments in Indian modernism.

Leaders from DAG and Goa Tourism emphasise the significance of hosting this exhibition in a historic site like Aguad, reinforcing Goa’s commitment to heritage-centred cultural experiences. The accompanying publication deepens the exploration with essays by leading scholars in the field.

Presenting a vital and often overlooked part of India’s artistic legacy, A Treasury of Life invites audiences to rediscover the creativity, adaptability, and brilliance of the Indian artists who shaped this remarkable visual tradition.

Events in Goa

MOG Celebrates 10 Years with Landmark ‘Festivals of Goa’ Exhibition

Tanisha Cardozo

Written by Tanisha Cardozo || Team Allycaral

The Museum of Goa (MOG) is commemorating a decade of creativity, innovation, and cultural dialogue with Festivals of Goa, a landmark exhibition that runs from November 9, 2025, to January 18, 2026, at its Pilerne campus. Featuring over 100 artists and more than a hundred works, this ambitious exhibition provides a unique lens through which visitors can explore Goa’s rich cultural fabric, evolving identity, and abundant diversity.

Curated under four simultaneous shows within the broad theme of Festivals of Goa, the exhibition examines shared histories, interfaith practices, and the ways in which traditions have adapted to modernity. Visitors can experience Goa’s festivals not just as cultural spectacles, but as vibrant spaces of memory, identity, and community expression. Sharada Kerkar, Director of MOG, emphasizes that the exhibition aims to reveal both widely celebrated and lesser-known festivals, offering insight into over 30 different festivities across the state.

The exhibition features works by noted Goan artists including Ramdas Gadekar, Viraj Naik, Chaitali Morajkar, Harshada Kerkar, Siddesh Chari, Sonia Rodrigues Sabharwal, Verodina Ferrao De Sousa, Asavari Gurav, Daniel D’Souza, and Nalini Elvino de Sousa, among others. Through photography, collaborative installations, multimedia artworks, and a children’s art show, Festivals of Goa reflects on the power of art to bridge communities and transform society. Subodh Kerkar, founder of MOG, underscores that the museum’s mission is to democratize contemporary art and create a space where the diverse voices of Goa can be heard freely.

The exhibition is divided into distinct sections to illuminate different aspects of Goan festivities. Where We Gather presents collaborative community projects, including a Narakasur, a crochet Christmas tree, and a giant Matoli, emphasizing the unifying power of community-based art practices. Festivals as Playgrounds, a children’s art exhibition curated by the museum’s Children’s Art Studio, explores creativity, community, and celebration from the perspective of young artists. Side by Side, curated by MOG, examines artistic responses to known and lesser-known festivals, offering insights into Goan society. Finally, The Seen/Unseen photo exhibition, curated by Prashant Panjiar, Indrajit Khambe, and Sharada Kerkar, reveals the labor, anticipation, and devotion behind the celebrations, offering a nuanced view beyond the spectacle.

The preview night set the tone for this landmark exhibition, featuring performances by celebrated Goan singer Sonia Shirsat and local band Roz Angon. Nilankur Das, Collaborations and Engagements Lead for MOG, reflected on the museum’s journey, noting that what began as a dream has grown into a dynamic space where artists, thinkers, students, and visitors intersect to engage with Goa’s histories, contradictions, and celebrations.

Since its establishment in 2015, MOG has emerged as a vibrant platform for artistic expression, collaborating with over 500 artists globally and hosting more than 600 exhibitions and events. The museum welcomes around 70,000 visitors annually, including 12,000 students from Goan schools, fostering a deep connection between contemporary art and the local community.

Festivals of Goa is open to visitors from November 9, 2025, to January 18, 2026, offering a once-in-a-decade opportunity to experience the state’s cultural richness, artistic diversity, and communal spirit at the Museum of Goa, Pilerne.

Human Interest

Rare 10th-Century Gajalakshmi Sculpture Discovered in Valvanti River, Sattari, Goa

allycaralgoa

Sattari, Goa: A remarkable archaeological discovery has surfaced in Goa with the unearthing of a 10th-century Gajalakshmi sculpture from the Valvanti River near Parye in Sattari taluk. The sculpture, measuring 50 cm in length and 61 cm in width, was announced by T. Murugeshi, founder-trustee of the Udupi-based Adima Kala Trust and retired associate professor of Ancient History and Archaeology at MSRS College, Shirva.

The intricately carved sculpture depicts Gajalakshmi, a prominent deity in the Vaishnava tradition, seated gracefully on a lotus pedestal. She is portrayed with four hands, holding lotus buds in her upper hands, and adorned with makarakundalas in her ears and a three-tiered Karanda Mukuta (kirita) with a canopy on her head. Adding to the divine aura, an oval-shaped Prabhavali with a Simha (lion) lalata decorates the center. The goddess is flanked by two elephants carrying sacred kalashas, while the Gandaberunda, a mythical two-headed bird and royal emblem of dynasties like the Kadambas, Vijayanagar, and Wodeyars of Mysore, appears in floral form at the center of the pedestal.

According to Mr. Murugeshi, this sculpture is of great historical significance, reflecting the greater Vaishnava tradition. He noted that several Gajalakshmi panels have been observed in sacred forests and temple premises across the region, often representing war scenes or Lakshmi in tribal forms. However, this newly discovered piece stands out for its elegance, detailed craftsmanship, and clear symbolic references to the royal emblems of Karnataka.

The sculpture has now been preserved by Rajendra Kerkar, president of the Adima Kala Trust, ensuring its protection and accessibility for future study and appreciation. This discovery adds a vital piece to the understanding of Goa’s ancient artistic heritage and offers scholars and enthusiasts a glimpse into the region’s cultural and religious landscape during the 10th century.

Significance of the Find:

  • Provides insight into the Vaishnava traditions of the time.
  • Represents the royal and cultural symbols of the Kadambas, Vijayanagar, and Wodeyars.
  • Enhances Goa’s reputation as a rich repository of historical artifacts.
  • Preserved by Adima Kala Trust, ensuring conservation and study opportunities for future generations.

This extraordinary discovery underscores the importance of ongoing research and conservation efforts in Goa’s rivers, forests, and temples, where hidden treasures of ancient India continue to reveal themselves.

Human Interest

Sudarsan Pattnaik Pays Artistic Tribute to PM Modi on His 75th Birthday at Puri Beach

allycaralgoa

Renowned sand artist and Padma Shri awardee Sudarsan Pattnaik (@sudarsansand) honored Prime Minister Narendra Modi on his 75th birthday with a magnificent sand sculpture at Puri Beach, Odisha, complemented by an installation of 750 lotus flowers.

Titled “Bharat Ki Udaan, Modi Ke Saath”, the artwork symbolizes India’s aspirations for unity, growth, and global leadership under PM Modi’s guidance. The installation celebrates the country’s progress over the past decade, highlighting achievements in infrastructure, digital innovation, healthcare, renewable energy, defence, and space.

From landmark projects like Chandrayaan-3 and Digital India, to flagship welfare schemes such as Ayushman Bharat, Ujjwala, and Jan Dhan, along with the vision of Atmanirbhar Bharat and Vocal for Local, the sand sculpture reflects India’s rising confidence and determination.

Crafted using approximately 6 tons of sand, the 5-foot-high sculpture of PM Modi is accompanied by 750 intricately arranged lotus flowers, each representing a year of service, leadership, and dedication. Students from Pattnaik’s Sand Art Institute participated in completing the installation, demonstrating teamwork, seva, and creativity.

Commenting on the tribute, Pattnaik said:

“I wish Hon’ble Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi Ji a very happy 75th birthday and pray for his continued service to the nation.”

A globally acclaimed artist, Sudarsan Pattnaik has represented India in over 65 international sand art championships and festivals, winning numerous awards and bringing global recognition to Indian sand art. Beyond celebratory installations, Pattnaik’s works have addressed important issues such as HIV/AIDS, climate change, COVID-19, plastic pollution, and peacebuilding, showcasing the power of art as a medium for awareness and change.

This installation at Puri Beach is not only a tribute to a leader but also a testament to India’s artistic excellence and the enduring impact of cultural expression in celebrating national achievements.