Harvest Celebration of Warli Tribe

The painting by Jivya Soma Mashe showcases a ritualistic celebration by the Warli Tribe, where the tribal people can be seen dancing at the centre in large groups. It shows a grand celebration after a huge harvest .Here, dancing in groups shows their collective unity as a tribal community.The trees in the periphery of the painting stand for nature and fertility.People can be seen processing grains inside the thatched houses while some are carrying baskets on their heads which shows the subsequent steps of processing and transportation of grains after a nice harvest.Jivya Soma Mashe was born in 1934 and is often credited for popularising the Warli Tribal Art form in Maharashtra. This art form is a signature way of documenting events like weddings, religious ceremonies, community celebrations,harvest,daily lifestyle of the Warli Tribal people who are found mainly in Maharashtra and isolated parts of western India. The Warli Art form was initially made on the mud walls of village homes but with time they are also made on handmade paper, canvas and cloth. Artists generally chew the ends of bamboo sticks and modify them to be used as brushes for paintings.These ad hoc brushes add rawness to the painting by providing a special texture to each stroke.Natural pigments are used as paint while a paste of ground rice, water and natural gum is the most commonly used paint by them. The whiteness of the rice paste adds a contrast to the brown, red or ochre coloured background of the mud walls. These paintings are not as simple as they might look because they hold an amalgamation of distinctive characteristics like use of geometric shapes, multiple human figures and animals often in the form of triangles. All these characteristics are used for creating a community based storytelling often highlighting folk traditions,Tarpa dance traditions, celebrations, agriculture, and the forest life of villagers. Thus Warli paintings not only add an aesthetic touch to their homes but also act as a medium for the Warli Tribe to tell stories, celebrate their relationship with nature and ultimately preserve their way of life.