Warli Adivasi Revolt

About Warli Adivasi Revolt

• In 1945, it began in Zari village, Talasari taluka (Maharashtra).

• Affected from the exploitation from the landlords and money-lenders, nearly 5,000 indentured tribals gathered and refused to work on landlords’ fields until they received 12 annas a day in wages.

• Their resistance sowed the first seeds of rights-based movements among the region’s indigenous communities.

• Women played an important role in the revolt and helped the men in all possible aspects.

• The involvement of the women was supported by the Kisan Sabha leader, Godaveri Parulekar, also known as Godutai (elder sister) by the Adivasis.

• Women followed her and spoke at meetings about the oppression they faced and encouraged other women to join the struggle.

Warli Tribe

• They are spread across Thane, Nashik and Dhule districts of Maharashtra, Valsad district of Gujarat, Karnataka, Goa and the Union Territories of Dadra & Nagar Haveli and Daman & Diu.

• They are small-scale cultivators and cultivate rice, pulses and vegetables. They also sell toddy, mahua and fuelwood to their tribesmen and neighbouring communities for a living.

Warli Art

• Warli art stems from their belief system shaped by their centuries-old subsistence on forest land.

• They did not have a written word until recent times and their art was a way of transmitting their belief systems from one generation to the next.

• Their drawings revolve around community traditions, the tools they use and their association with nature.

• Warli painting is a style of tribal art mostly created by the tribal people from the North Sahyadri Range in India.

• This range encompasses cities such as Dahanu, Talasari, Jawhar, Palghar, Mokhada, and Vikramgad of Palghar district. This tribal art was originated in Maharashtra, where it is still practiced today.

• These rudimentary wall paintings use a set of basic geometric shapes: a circle, a triangle, and a square. These shapes are symbolic of different elements of nature. The circle and the triangle come from their observation of nature.

• The circle represents the sun and the moon, while the triangle is derived from mountains and pointed trees. In contrast, the square appears to be a human invention, indicating a sacred enclosure or a piece of land.

• The central motif in each ritual painting is the square, known as the "chauk" or "chaukat", mostly of two types known as Devchauk and Lagnachauk. Inside a Devchauk is usually a depiction of Palaghata, the mother goddess, symbolizing fertility.

Prelims Question

Q.Consider the following statements regarding Warli painting:
1.This tribal art was originated in Maharashtra, where it is still practiced today.
2.It’s practiced by women alone.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
a)1 only
b)2 only
c)Both 1 and 2
d)Neither 1 nor 2

Answer to the Prelims Question