God’s Spell, in Warli

A Catholic priest from Vasai plays Santa to his Warli congregation—by translating the Synoptic Gospels into the community’s dialect

“Dev maaza govari/ Naahi mala kaay kami; Maza govari to mazhya sangtila/ Tuzhi kathi dhir de maala”

These familiar-sounding Marathi lyrics, set to a catchy, folksy tune and percussive music, came to me as a WhatsApp message on the first Sunday of December. Later, I would receive three other audio clips on successive Sundays. The sender was Father Andrew Rodrigues, a Catholic priest associated with the Krupa Mata Church in Vasai.  The purpose behind Fr Rodrigues’ effort was two-fold—to promote the dying Warli dialect in popular discourse, and to infuse positivity in peoples’ lives: Warlis or non-Warlis, Christians or non-Christians, in or out of the church. 

Fr Rodrigues, 81, wants to spread Christmas cheer. To him, the first four books of the New Testament—known as the Gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke and John—are an encapsulation of Jesus’ life and teachings, for all people. These Gospels, sung in many languages, are a source of solace as they outline a messiah’s role and suffering, and speak of belief and faith. Fr Rodrigues wants to spread the meaning and charm of these Gospels beyond Marathi- and English-speaking churchgoers. In his eyes, God’s role as caretaker, shepherd, and provider of sustenance is relevant to any human being who seeks happiness in moments of reflection, as the year draws to an end.  

Father Andrew Rodrigues

Having been engaged in developmental work in the Talasari taluka—home to Warli households which fall below the poverty line—of Palghar district for two decades, Fr Rodrigues is conversant in the Warli dialect. After months of deliberation and cross-checking the spoken idiom, he will release the new Warli book of Gospels titled Shubh Vartaman (Sahayog Prakashan) on January 21 in the presence of Warli inhabitants in Talasari’s Paraspada. 

Fr Rodrigues has been devoted to Warli translation since 2016. For the Gospels of Mark, Luke and John, he previously collaborated with Father Alivino Remedius, who also had worked with adivasis of Dahanu and Palghar. Interestingly, he holds no copyright over the Warli Gospels and will freely circulate them on social media to ensure wide reach. 

The release of the book Shubh Vartaman will run parallel to a workshop where participants will collectively read the text, especially since the Warlis are not necessarily used to reading the Devanagari script. The workshop is open to public, specifically seeking the attention of linguists as well as scholars and appreciators of indigenous heritage. The date of the launch and workshop—January 21—is celebrated as Sunday of the Word of God in Roman Catholic Churches, dedicated to the Lord’s message to humans through prophets. 

The audio clips of the Warli Gospels were aimed at building a buzz around the dialect’s use, not just for the people who speak it, but also for those who care about endangered languages and lifestyles. “I find there are many who espouse that cause, but they are not united in action,” says Fr Rodrigues, who hopes to position the Gospels as an inspiring and reflective space. He also feels Jesus of Nazareth as mentioned in the Bible could be any divine figure for a person belonging to another religion. “The Govari/ Gopal/shepherd could be Krishna or some other prophet who mingles with the commoners and gives them a sense of security. After all, the approachability of Jesus or other messiahs  made them great and humane,” he underscores. 

The fact that it is college-going Warli girls who sang the rendition of the Gospels in the audio clips adds another dimension to his outreach in the community, Fr Rodrigues says. “The spoken Warli idiom is known to those who speak the native tongue, and I am glad we recorded the Warli students in a Vasai studio while making the audio clips. Any other urban artist couldn’t have captured the soul of the Gospel in the correct cadence,” says Simon Martin, the publisher of Shubh Vartaman.

Warlis are spread all over India, up north towards Pakistan and down south in Tamil Nadu. But predominantly, they are concentrated in the hilly and coastal parts of Maharashtra, Gujarat and Madhya Pradesh. Their dialect is classified under Marathi, and a large majority of the community is known to adhere to Hindu beliefs. However, the semi-nomadic ethnic group is not monolithic; it is composed of varied sub-castes (as per region) and religious faiths, especially in modern times.

For the urbane Mumbaikar, Warlis are tribals living in the hamlets of Dahanu and Wada, or even closer home in the Yeoor Hills and on the outskirts of the Sanjay Gandhi National Park, or in the Goregaon Film City wilderness. The celebrated Warli artist late Jivya Soma Mashe is a point of reference when it comes to artists from the community who are feted and invited to participate in prestigious exhibitions. In popular culture, famed Warli paintings and artefacts are known and recognised by the trademark chauk—a square frame in which geometric shapes are used to depict everyday life—and the tarpa dance. 

The 1995 documentary Kahankar Ahankar (Story Maker, Story Teller), by Anjali Monteiro and KP Jayasankar, analyses the Warli worldview, history and the narratives spun around them by ‘outsiders’. Warlis are under-represented in popular art, particularly in the context of migration to cities and the loss of livelihood options.

In Maharashtra, the Warlis have assimilated into city rhythms, mainly due to the passage of time and proximity to cities like Mumbai and Nashik. “The second- and third-generation Warlis are enrolled in modern-day educational institutions like the ones in which I have taught,” says the priest, who continues to remain active after retirement. Fr Rodrigues laments that a large percentage of Warlis are impoverished farmers or manual labourers. “The four translated Gospels (suvarta or glad tidings/good news) are for these toiling men and women who can read the Devanagari script and absorb the positivity in the text; they could be following any faith. I wish to keep the Warli renderings in the public domain online, so that anyone can avail of them in any season beyond Christmas,” he explains.  

The author of 16-odd books, Fr Rodrigues was also the editor of the monthly magazine Suvarta, known for engaging with faith-related matters as well as literary ones. He was born in Parsav village, schooled in Nandakhal and then trained in the seminary at Goregaon in 1972. Ever since, he has served as a parish priest (twice as vicar general in the Vasai diocese) in various churches. He developed a love for languages in his itinerant pastoral appointments in Maharashtra, Gujarat and Haryana, as captured in his book Mission My Passion released last year on his 80th birthday. One of his literary works, titled Umbrache Phool, even has a foreword by the acclaimed linguist, Dr GN Devy.

The best part of the Warli versions of the Gospels is their conversational rhythm. Father Rodrigues’ preface acknowledges experts who contributed to the Warli text for the adivasi churchgoers who cannot grasp the Marathi or English teachings (sikhvan). The Warli text progresses as per the four evangelists’ perspectives and chronological order. For instance, Matthew’s Gospel begins with yesuche kul (family), jalam (birth), yesu balache darshan (the child who is declared the anointed one), misar deshat pal (the escape to Egypt), Gaalilatchi pheri na kaam (work in Galilee and Jerusalem), dongravarcha pravachan (sermon on the mount), finally leading to Yesu maranatasi azoon jitala (the Resurrection). The text transports us to Israel and yet is anchored in the Warli ethos.

Good news is welcome in all cultures, much like the widespread, all-encompassing cheer spelt out in Luke’s Gospel: Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. This columnist, too, wishes motti khusi to aakkhe lokaal.

Sumedha Raikar-Mhatre is a culture columnist in search of the sub-text.  You can reach her at  sumedha.raikar@mid-day.com

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