The village

 The Jungle Farm is situated in the tribal Village of Aswali. Aswali village is known for its Warli community. The Warli or Varli are an indigenous tribe (Adivasi) of western India, living in mountainous as well as coastal areas along the Maharashtra-Gujarat border and surrounding areas. They have their own animistic beliefs, life, customs and traditions, and as a result of acculturation they have adopted many Hindu beliefs. The Warli speak the unwritten Varli language which belongs to the southern zone of the Indo-Aryan languages.The Warli tribe is one of the largest in India, located outside of Mumbai. Despite being close to one of the largest cities in India, the Warli reject much of contemporary culture. The style of Warli painting was not recognised until the 1970s, even though the tribal style of art is thought to date back as early as 10th century A.D.The Warli culture is centered on the concept of Mother Nature and elements of nature are often focal points depicted in Warli painting. Farming is their main way of life and a large source of food for the tribe. They greatly respect nature and wildlife for the resources that they provide for life. Warli artists use their clay huts as the backdrop for their paintings, similar to how ancient people used cave walls as their canvases.

At the Jungle Farm, you can experience sessions of the Tarpa Dance (traditional Warli Dance), Warli Painting, Pottery and Straw Weaving. The Warli Painting tradition in Maharashtra are among the finest examples of the folk style of paintings. Pottery, the process of making earthenware out of clayey soil originate in India. Experience the traditional way of making pots with a hand maneuvered wheel. Straw weaving is not only done for art but for utility purposes. Learn this beautiful form in its original process.