In our previous blog we discussed basic features and origin of the Warli Painting. It was a brief overview for preliminary understanding. Technical aspects were not included there. Today, we are going a little deeper and will observe the technicality behind this old Art practice. Warli is a Folk Art and any folk art developed its technique over the period of time and shaped its directive according to the geographical and economical influences of the practitioner of that distinct Art. Similarly, Warli developed its technicality over time and the whole form took a shape by the practicing tribe. So, it is evident that the art would be heavily influenced by the Warli tribe’s geographical and socio-economic attributes. And today our main focus would be the techniques of Warli Art, how they made it, what are the ingredients and what symbolic value carry the icon of the painting.
For making any painting generally the first step is preparing its ground and for warli painting its about preparing the wall in general. The wall is prepared with cow dung; a rectangular part of the wall is given a coating of geru (red mud). When this has dried up, a brownish red surface is created.
To prepare the surface they crouch around the rice hole sifting the flour by shaking it in a winnowing pan and allowing the husk to fall on the floor. The finer portion was collected in a wicker basket. Small amounts of this were mixed with water in a Vati (metal cup). The colors used by Warlis are not permanent but the paintings are made again and again on different occasions. Colors of the Warli painting background are Henna, indigo, ochre, black, earthy mud, brick red and white made of rice paste to paint, occasionally yellow and red dots accompany white colour. They use a bamboo stick chewed at one end to make it as flexible as a paintbrush. They also use thin reed like pens for painting made up of sticks broken from Baharu tree. With the help of these pens or brushes and rice paste they start painting on the surface created before.
The material traditionally used in these paintings is rice powder, which supposedly processes magical power, and it is believed that this can scare away the evil spirits. Many of the drawings are without an image, figure or narration but have consistent and continuous geometry. The visual effect of these symbolic shapes is at one with their efficiency and irregular strokes of brush or stick, firmness of style, uneven, non rhythmic or repetitive forms are not deformities but the distinctive traits of this art. Thoughts, surface, tools and pigments are characteristic feature of the paintings.
Now discuss about some technical terms used in the Warli Painting. The terms widely used in the Warli is Cauk. You may wonder what the Cauk actually is. It is simple. The traditional drawings in Warli paintings are the Cauks. The most significant Mother Goddess (Palaghat) is shown in the Cauk. Other characters in the traditional painting are Pancha Sirya Dev, the five headed god and the headless warrior, who is drawn either in standing position or riding a horse. Pancha Sirya Dev is the archaic symbol of the cosmic cycle of life and death. Symbolic communication has been one of the important criteria for these paintings. Whether on an outer wall of a house or a temple or in the inner parts of a dwelling or place of worship, there has been an underlying purpose of symbolic communication. Symbolism in art acts as a standardized or stylized expression of various concepts by which these symbols crystallize into a set shape or instantly in recognizable form. The prominence of symbolism connected with fertility, creation and nature. The forces of supernatural powers are also depicted with the symbols which is a way of appealing these powers. Iconic and non-iconic forms and rituals are designed to accompany worship. Thus the symbols in painted forms arise inevitably as a means of communication.
Next we are going to discuss about different types of Cauk and observe their different features and visual representation. Let's start with Dev Cauk.
1. Dev Cauk (Chowk)
The square painting made on the wall is known as Dev Cauk (chowk). Cauk basically means square. It is made with an outline of a square drawn on the inside of the house wall. It is mostly made at the time of wedding beside the Lagna Cauk (another important drawing of Warli ). They start filling up the squarish frame towards inside from these four lines with geometrical strips. In the corners, figures of moon, sun, comb and ladder is drawn with Tarpa (a wind musical instrument) and Ghangli (a string instrument). And at the center they paint ' Panchsiriya'. Panchsiriya is a five-headed god, also known as the headless warrior. It is drawn mainly in two posture, either standing (as shown in the left side picture). Warli tribes draw the 'Panchsariya' God inside the Dev Cauk in the believe that this God will protect the bride and groom of the house from diseases, illnesses, misfortune and bad luck, etc.
2. Lagna Cauk (Chowk)
Like Dev Cauk, there is another painting known as Lagna Cauk. Lagna Cauk is made during the time of maariage ceremony of Warlis and painted by the Suhasinis (married women of the Warli tribe) on the Wall. It is made on the wall of both bride's and groom's house and the process of making this Cauk start one day prior to the marriage ceremony. They believe the cauks would protect the bride and the groom from the evil spirit, to ensure their fertility, and to enhance their procreative abilities. Lagna
Cauk is a highly decorative square or rectangle surrounded by five to eight roes of geometrically diverse design. In the centre of Cauk they draw Palghat devi. Palghat Devi is the goddess of fertility and blesses the newly weds with good-fortune. There are different forms of Palghat Devi which vary from area to area. Warli People believe that Lagna Cauk is the ornaments of the Goddess and that's why they decorate it with intricate designs. Some of the design pattern of this cauk named as pophala, the sakhali, the dhak, the pasondi and the basinda. In the Lagna Cauk Suhashinis also draw a horse on which the bride, groom and groom’s sister is shown sitting. And around the horse we can observe the dancers, musicians and Dhavelris (women who perform wedding); everyone celebrating in marriage ceremony which they considered as a very important events of their life.
3. Kanna
There is another squarish painting in Warli Art form, known as Kanna. It is the only Warli motif which is drawn on the ground unlike other Cauks. Kanna is the symbol of Virginity and like Lagna Cauk it is also drawn by the Suhasinis (married women of the Warli tribe). Suhasinis draw it only at the bride's house ground at the third say of wedding ceremony. This painting is drawn only in the bride’s house at the third day of wedding ceremony. On observation, a multiplication sign is prominent in the square and multiple colour is used to decorate. The figure is coated with yellow (turmeric) powder, white(rice) powder, red (Kunku) powder and orange (shendur) powder to make it colourful and attractive. Picture in the left side is an example of making kanna on ground using rice powder only.
4. Muthi
The Warli women perform the ritual of Muthi painting, when the new rice is brought home from the field. Rice grains are finely powdered and mixed with water to make this paste and imprint their fist prints on the front walls of the house, granaries, inner walls of the kitchen, ploughs, on baskets which are used for keeping Bhakari (bread). Muthi, means fists are repetitive imprints of fists are made to bring home fistful of grains. Multiplicity of such fist prints is supposed to ensure abundance of food in the home and abundant yield in the field.
5. Tarpa
One of the outstanding characteristic of Warlis is their love for music, dance and liquor. They dance on the tune of the Tarpa (a wind musical instrument) for centuries. The Tarpa dance is performed by
the youngsters and the elderly people just watch it. The dancers never turn their back to the Tarpa. Tarpa is considered to be an instrument given to the Warlis by Narandeva itself. In real, Tarpa is a flute like instrument made by the tribal people themselves. The Tarpa player stands in the centre and is surrounded by the dancers in a circle. I have found in my observation that tarpa player has a distinct similarity with the Native-American famous Folk Art Motif Kokopelli. Both are playing wind instruments in similar body posture. Another interesting aspect of the Tarps dance is its movement pattern which is anti-clock in nature. The Warlis believe the cosmic forces move in an anti clock direction. One of the important themes of Warli painting is the famous tarpa Dance Painting. The movement in
Tarpa dance is very quick and full of excitement. Visual representation of this dance in warli painting creates a magical rhythm in the whole composition. This cyclic drawing of Warli Painting is so captivating that it can easily catch anyone's attention. And that's is the reason now-a-days in the warli painting print on cloths the lion's share covered by the tarpa dance drawing. It has gained a wide popularity among mass people too.
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Well done.
Well written. Full of new information. Looking for more.