Warlis are found in Jawhar, Vikramgad, Mokhada, Dahanu and Talasari talukas of the northern Palghar district, parts of Nashik and Dhule as well as Navapur taluka of Nandurbar of Maharashtra, Valsad, Dangs, Navsari and Surat districts of Gujarat,[1] and the union territory of Dadra and Nagar Haveli and Daman and Diu.

Their extremely rudimentary wall paintings use a very basic graphic vocabulary: a circle, a triangle and a square.

Only the square seems to obey a different logic and seems to be a human invention, indicating a sacred enclosure or a piece of land.

[3] Significantly, male gods are unusual among the Warli and are frequently related to spirits which have taken human shape.

The central motive in these ritual paintings is surrounded by scenes portraying hunting, fishing and farming, festivals and dances, trees and animals.

Their precarious equilibrium symbolizes the balance of the universe, and of the couple, and has the practical and amusing advantage of animating the bodies.

The lack of regular artistic activity explains the very crude style of their paintings, which were the preserve of the womenfolk until the late 1970s.

Understanding the need for intellectual property rights, the tribal non-profit Organisation "Adivasi Yuva Seva Sangh" initiated efforts to start a registration process in 2011.