Warli Artist, Palghar District

Madhukar Kharpade

Nestled in the forests of Palghar, Maharashtra, Madhukar was sparked by childhood curiosity into the sacred world of Warli painting, embodying its signature white dots, lines, and forest symbols with precision. Inspired by masters like Jivya Soma Mashe, he transformed his practice from ₹25 wall paintings to exhibitions in Mumbai, Srinagar, and Kerala. Supported by regional art initiatives, Madhukar now runs a small creative space with his wife, preserving this ritual art while crafting livelihoods for local youth. His work bridges ancestral rhythm and contemporary relevance.

Nestled in Maharashtra’s emerald forests, Madhukar grew up among Warli traditions and bamboo artistry. As his father wove baskets, young Madhukar stared at colourful farm tools and festive posters, sparks igniting his passion for Warli painting.

Over two decades, he refined the iconic white dot-and-line technique, drawn from rice-paste pigment and bamboo-tipped brushes, to narrate tribal metaphors - gods, forest tales, ritual symbols, and community life. From humble beginnings selling wall paintings for ₹25, he now exhibits across Mumbai, Srinagar, Bhopal, Kerala, and Rajasthan.

Supported by local cooperative grants and public art initiatives, Madhukar established a small studio where he and his wife produce durable bamboo-stemmed Warli artworks that last decades. He aspires to train local youth and create fair livelihoods through this ancestral craft.
Each painting by Madhukar evokes memory, soil, and spirit, transforming rituals into art and sustaining a lineage where culture and modernity meet.

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