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Who the Warli Are and How They Use Art

The Warli are among the oldest tribal groups in western India. They speak Varli, a language without a script, and live by farming, fishing, and gathering from the forest.

Where other cultures wrote their stories in books, the Warli painted theirs on walls. Art was not a hobby. It was how they recorded life, memory, and ritual.

The Origins of Warli Painting

Archaeologists connect Warli painting to the cave art of Bhimbetka, dating back nearly three thousand years. The method was simple and rooted in daily life:

Walls plastered with cow dung and red earth White pigment made from rice paste and water A bamboo stick chewed soft to act as a brush

Women painted these walls during weddings, harvests, and festivals. The purpose was always blessing and protection, never trade.

The Language of Shapes

Warli art painting tells stories with three simple shapes. A circle stands for the sun, the moon, and the rhythm of life. A triangle shows mountains, trees, and people. A square marks the sacred chauk, where rituals take place.

Inside the square, the goddess Palaghata represents fertility and life. Around her, farmers sow fields, hunters chase deer, and dancers move in circles. Human figures are built from two triangles tip to tip… fragile but full of motion.

From Walls to Modern Homes

For centuries, Warli painting stayed within the community. In the 1970s, artist Jivya Soma Mashe began painting for expression rather than ritual. His work brought Warli into galleries and museums, and his son Balu Mashe continued the path.

Today, Warli paintings appear as murals in cities, framed works in homes, and even in global campaigns. Rooftop helps you bring this heritage into your own space… authentic, rooted, and alive.