Warli Tribe's Battle for Land: Clash with Shivaji Museum Project in Mumbai

The Warli tribe in Mumbai is facing a threat to their ancestral land due to the construction of the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj War Art Museum.

• The project, initiated by the Maharashtra Department of Tourism, has sparked concerns among the Warlis, who fear the loss of their homes and forests in Gorai.
• The clash highlights the ongoing struggle between development projects and indigenous communities.
• In June 2023, the Maharashtra Department of Tourism announced the construction of the Shivaji museum on 136 acres of land in Gorai with a budget of Rs. 50 crore.
• The Warli tribe, with a population of about 1,300 in Gorai, resides in six tribal hamlets, including Babar Pada and Chotadongari Pada.
• The project has led to the demolition of houses and raised concerns about the displacement of tribal communities.

Need for Project and backlash by the tribes:

• The Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj War Art Museum aims to celebrate the historical and cultural significance of the Maratha warrior king, Shivaji Maharaj.
• However, the choice of land for the museum has triggered opposition from the Warli community, who argue that the land is crucial for their livelihoods and cultural practices.
• The Warlis argue that the sanctioned land for the museum is the same land they have depended on for generations.
• They express concerns about losing not only their homes but also the forested area they have populated with fruit trees.
• The conflict has intensified as the government proceeds with the construction, leading to protests and discussions about the impact on the tribal hamlets.

Legal Battles and Community Mobilization:

• In 2011, the Bombay High Court rejected the Maharashtra Tourism Development Corporation's (MTDC) tourism proposal to construct hotels and resorts in and around Gorai and Manori
• The court highlighted the ecological sensitivity of these areas.
• Currently, the Warli tribe, along with fisherfolk, is in the process of filing an interim application against the Shivaji museum project.
• The tribal community has mobilized, with around 6,000 people gathering to mark the Tribal Community Festival 2023, emphasizing their traditions and addressing the crisis.

Government's Response:

• Collector, Mumbai Suburban, assures that tribal communities practicing agriculture on sanctioned land will not be displaced.
• He believes that even if a particular place is affected, the tribes will be rehabilitated safely.
• However, the Warli community remains skeptical, emphasizing their connection to the land and their determination to resist any illegal occupation.

About the Warli Community:

• The Warli, an indigenous tribe of western India, reside in mountainous and coastal areas along the Maharashtra and Gujarat border.
• Their animistic beliefs, customs, and traditions are intertwined with their unique Warli language.
• Known for their Warli paintings, the community has a rich cultural heritage, and their mural art tradition dates back to 2500 or 3000 BCE.
• The Warli paintings, characterized by a basic graphic vocabulary, have become a distinctive representation of their cultural identity.
• The Warli painting is recognized as the cultural intellectual property of the tribal community, with efforts made to preserve this traditional knowledge through initiatives like the Warli Art Foundation.