As I prepared for my mini online presentation for the kids, parents and teachers of CDC Kids last week, I rewind my memory to when it all started… My tryst with Warli art started 10 years ago. I wouldn’t say I stumbled upon it. I, in fact, went out researching and looking for an art form that would be simpler to practice and achieve. That’s when I decided to do a certificate course in this art form. Well, the desire to experience art and aesthetics always drove me to art galleries, dance shows and theatre performances. But this time around, it was the zest to be associated with art in some way or the other. That’s when I entered the world of Warli, and ended up feeling thoroughly amazed by the simplicity and enigma of these geometric wonders. Ever since, no paper or book in my hand is spared of my attempts at doodling Warli. These tiny figures make way into any sheet of paper I find around. Well, I didn’t stop my frenzy at paper. Pots meant for plants have to first go through my “Warli initiation ceremony” and only then do they get approved for planting.
But jokes apart, there is certainly something mystical about this folk art. Inspired by the elements in nature, the figures are made of geometric shapes such as circles, triangles, squares and rectangles. Just glance at any Warli painting and you can sense the inviting and refreshingly appealing vibes they create. No wonder, these ritual paintings are hand done on the walls of huts in tribal hamlets. Having originated in Maharashtra, Warli art is practiced by the tribal communities of the North Sahyadri Range in Maharashtra. These include cities such as Talasari, Jawhar, Palghar, Dahanu, Mokhada, and Vikramgad.
