Tarpa Dance -Warli Fabric Paint on a Tunic

I graduated to painting as a Hobby gradually. It did not come to my notice that I could paint until I attended a workshop and my instructor pointed out the intricacies of my pencil sketch(more on that later).

With little time on my hand holding a full time job, it seemed like a millennium since I held a brush. Lately, however, I have realized that I have a liking for brush and canvas and myriad of colours.

Here I paint a Tunic with Warli Tarpa Dance.

Warli is an art form which is practiced by the Warli Tribe living in the coastal areas of Maharashtra and Gujarat in India. Warli Tribe uses intricate art form to decorate the walls of their mud houses and the colours used are obtained from flowers mixed with rice powder.

Tarpa is a wind instrument played by the village head who stand in the middle while the rest of the group goes around him in circles. This instrument is made from pumpkins and a bamboo stick. It is considered as a gift from God Narandeva and is considered sacred.

Men and Women participate equally in the Tarpa Dance and the lead dancers hold a stick with bells that is hit on the ground to direct the group and add to the music.