WARLI: A quintessential tribal folk art of Maharashtra

Tribal communities have contributed enormously in developing a rich heritage of our country as well as sustaining their tangible and intangible culture hence, it is really important to understand their cultural milieu as they are prominent section of the society.  Every tribal hamlet in India owns a significant art and skills and is enriched with diverse traditions and folklore.  One of all the tribal arts is Warli, inherited from the indigenous tribal community of Adivasis residing in the Indian state of Maharashtra, Gujarat and enclosing areas.

Warli is a traditional folk-art of Maharashtra which is created collectively by 2 to 10 tribal married women, called as Suhasini within their community. Warli painting is different from other folk painting traditions of India in many important aspects. They don’t narrate mythological stories like the Madhubani paintings of Mithila do. On the contrary they depict social life and daily events.

According to Jivya Mahse, a best international artist from Maharashtra, Warli tribal art form was popularized in the seventies by him under the intelligence of social worker, Bhaskar Kulkarni.

The people of Warli tribe sing and dance on the tunes of Tarpa, a musical instrument which is depicted in these paintings.

There is no use of myriad primary colors whereas only rice paste is used as a medium in this art, hence Warli paintings are distinguished.

The prime idea in these traditional art paintings is surrounded by the scenes showing hunting, fishing and farming, festivals and dances, trees and animals etc. This authentic art is still practiced by the Warlis on the walls of their huts in the rural areas of Maharashtra.

The designers were very enticed through this ritualistic art form that they created different dresses based on this art.