Warli Painting

We can say that Warli paintings are not just paintings; it is a wordless story of tribal’s life. Warli Painting do not only represent the art of the tribes, but they show the life of these people. This art is a vivid expression of the daily and social life of the tribal people as well as a showcase of the close connection between nature and the tribes. Originally these paintings were done on cultural rituals. “The Warlis carry on a tradition stretching back to 2500 or 3000 BCE. Their mural paintings are similar to those done between 500 and 10,000 BCE in the Rock Shelters of Bhimbetka, in Madhya Pradesh.”

Warli Painting makes use of basic geometries like triangle, square, circle & line. All these shapes come from close observation of nature. There is no measurement to do Warli painting. Warli Painting is practiced by the Warli tribesmen of Malhar Koli and Warli Tribe. Warli Painting made for commercial purposes like  Painting on Paper & cardboards, Wooden articles & furniture and Cloth & canvass Painting, etc.

The tradition of Warli Painting is ancient and there are environmental & nature influences the method of production. Warli painting is not just Painting or art; it is the script by which tribal people share the various stories of life. Traditionally used as a mode of telecommunication to pass the message. 

Warli Paintings are very different from other folk and tribal paintings in India. Their themes are not mythological, nor their colours as bright as the ones seen in Madhubani Paintings. Neither do they contain the robust sensuality of the paintings found in Eastern India. Instead, they are painted on mud; cow dung based surface using Natural colours in white. Shapes are used to draw human beings and animals are totally different from shapes from other traditional paintings.