Warli painting is a folk art of India, and it’s sometimes known as the “folklore encyclopedia of Maharashtra” because warli paintings illustrate the lifestyle and beliefs of different tribes in Maharashtra such as Bhils, Kolis, Ahirs, and others.

These paintings are made using natural colors on a mud background.

They’re usually done by women who tell stories through warli art paintings that explain myths and legends while also showing the customs and rituals of their tribes.

Warli painting is not recognized nationally or internationally but within the states of Maharashtra, Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh warlis have been given an identity to represent each state with its own unique style. Within these Indian states warlis are recognized for their uniqueness both in terms of style but also location.

Warlis are a major tourist attraction and it is a popular belief that warli paintings should not be sold or given to other countries as they depict stories from an area depending on the mythological legends of the people living there. Warli painting is considered to have been created by tribal communities but warli art has now become popular among modern artists in India and warli painting is now seen as a combination of folk art, tribal culture, and contemporary Indian art.

Warlis are made using natural colors on a mud background, but the warli paintings done during monsoon season change colors to reflect different moods. However warli painting does not have one particular style or design rather warli art is a collection of different paintings reflecting the cultural heritage of India’s tribal people.

Different warli styles are based on the geographical locations in which they are painted. The warli painting style of Maharashtra has darker colors while warlis from Gujarat have lighter colors with fewer primary colors being used.

Warli art is basically done by women who paint warli art on walls of houses, doors, and windows. Warli painting is made by women who do not use any kind of sketching or drawing beforehand rather they make warlis based on their imagination. The warli paintings tell stories through images depicting the lives of the ancient people living in Maharashtra.

In warli paintings, humans are shown with big eyes and small mouths that convey a comic expression. However warli paintings do not have any warps or straight lines rather warli art uses curved lines to give a sense of energy and movement so warlis appear as if they are moving.

Warli tribal communities hold a wide variety of beliefs relating to nature, their surroundings, religion, and culture and warli art paintings display their beliefs and practices through warli paintings. Warli painting shows the main aspects of warli life such as festivals, dance, drama, war stories, and mythological legends. However, warlis reflect more than just religious rituals rather warli tribes hold ceremonies such as marriages and coming of age.

The warlis depict many war stories through warli paintings, most war stories are taken from the Mahabharata war. Even though warli art was created by the warli tribes, they depict their own interpretation of war stories. Warli painting is not just limited to India rather it has spread its roots to neighboring countries due to Indians who have migrated abroad.

One such warli painting has been recognized by the United Nations Education, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) as it represents the intangible cultural heritage of humanity.

In warli paintings, animals are given significant importance. The warli community believes that animals possess spirits and humans get power from these animal spirits. In warli art village, deities are depicted in warli paintings along with warli deities.

Warlis are not just limited to warli art paintings but warlis are also used in handicraft items such as toys, puppets, calendars, and postcards.

Warli painting is more than just a form of art rather warli paintings are known for their unique style which is only found in warli paintings.