The millennia old Warlis
The history of the Warli paintings stretches back to millennia. This rich artistic heritage seems to have begun in 10,000 BCE; echoes of the signature style mural paintings of the Warlis can be found in the Bhimbetka Rock Shelters. The Warli paintings are thus established as an incredibly ancient tradition of visual storytelling.
Some scholars believe the Warlis descend from the people of Varalat, mentioned by the Greek ethnographer Megasthenes in the 3rd century BCE. This region, located near present-day Dharampur in Maharashtra, was known as Warlat Pradesh in ancient times. This potential connection strengthens the notion that the Warlis have inhabited their current home for at least 2,300 years, with their artistic expression, Warli painting, becoming a defining cultural element.
Of rituals and traditions
Warli Painting is ritualistic in nature and is recognisable in its use of basic geometrical elements such as lines, dots, triangles, circles, square and rectangles for creating scenes from Warli culture and daily life. Traditionally, these paintings have been adorned on walls as murals. It is a vivid expression of the social life of Warli tribal people, portraying the deep connection between the tribe and nature. For millennia, it has been a tool of visual storytelling, narrating folklores through elaborately detailed scenes.
These paintings have traditionally been practiced at special occasions such as festivals, harvest, marriage etc.; the paintings themselves were made during ritual ceremonies. The paintings are like a peering glass, a glimpse into the lives of the Warli tribe, their colourful culture, traditions, villages, Gods, animals, people, customs and rituals. The traditional method of Warli paintings utilised all natural products. In the initial step of Lipane, the wall is coated with an earth mixture known as Geru to create a smooth canvas. Next is the process of Saravane, in which an austere background is created by evenly spreading a mixture of cow dung and water. The white colour typical to these paintings is created through a rice powder paste (Pitha cha Rang). Finally in Lihane, the paintings are created using brushes made of bamboo sticks (Salatichi Kaadi) crushed at the end.
