Maharashtra, a state steeped in centuries-old traditions and a vibrant cultural legacy, is witnessing the gradual disappearance of several unique cultural practices. As urbanization and modernization reshape rural landscapes and lifestyles, many traditional art forms, rituals, and occupations teeter on the edge of extinction. This article highlights the top 5 endangered cultural practices of Maharashtra, based on documented historical relevance, current practitioner numbers, and cultural significance.
1. Dashavatari Natak: The Fading Folk Theatre of Konkan
Dashavatari Natak, a traditional theatre form performed in the coastal Konkan region, is one of Maharashtra’s most vibrant expressions of folk mythology through drama. It dramatizes the ten incarnations of Lord Vishnu, combining music, elaborate costumes, and vigorous acting.
However, due to lack of institutional support and dwindling audiences, especially among the youth, Dashavatari Natak is on the verge of vanishing. Aging troupes, minimal digital preservation, and competition from modern entertainment mediums contribute to its rapid decline. Once integral to temple festivals and village gatherings, it now survives only in isolated pockets of Sindhudurg and Ratnagiri.
2. Paithani Weaving: A Royal Craft Struggling to Survive
The handwoven Paithani sarees of Yeola, once draped by royals and celebrated in Peshwa courts, are today produced by a shrinking group of skilled artisans. Known for intricate zari borders and vibrant motifs inspired by nature and architecture, authentic Paithanis take months to weave on traditional pit looms.
Mass-produced machine alternatives and low-cost imitations have marginalized genuine weavers. The younger generation of traditional Paithani weavers is migrating to other professions due to the craft’s labor-intensive process and limited financial returns, making authentic Paithani weaving a near-extinct cultural heritage.
3. Bari Community’s Ritual Song Traditions: Vanishing Oral History
The Bari community of Maharashtra, traditionally associated with religious service and storytelling, holds a rich legacy of oral song traditions that narrate mythological tales, local histories, and moral fables. These ritual songs, sung during ceremonies and yatras (pilgrimages), are repositories of ancient dialects, metaphors, and religious symbolism.
Modern education, cultural homogenization, and declining interest in oral storytelling have endangered this living archive. With only a handful of elders preserving the melodies and narratives, the Bari community’s ritual songs face imminent extinction unless recorded and revived through structured cultural programs.
4. Traditional Warli Ceremonial Paintings: Beyond Commercial Imitation
While Warli painting has gained global attention as a tribal art form, the ceremonial and ritualistic essence of traditional Warli art is disappearing. Originally painted on mud walls during weddings, harvests, and religious rituals, these artworks served sacred and social purposes.
Today, commercial Warli art on canvases and souvenirs lacks the contextual depth and communal engagement of the original form. The younger Warli population often relocates to urban centers, leaving behind the symbolic meanings embedded in this once-sacred practice. Without community-led education and cultural immersion, true Warli ceremonial painting is becoming a lost ritual art.
5. Nirguni Bhajan Tradition of Varkari Sampradaya: Diminishing Spiritual Folk Music
Nirguni Bhajans, part of the Varkari movement led by saints like Sant Tukaram and Sant Dnyaneshwar, embody a profound form of spiritual expression centered on formless devotion (nirguna bhakti). Sung in rural pilgrimage circuits, these bhajans reflect deep metaphysical thought in simple language.
However, with the rise of devotional pop music and religious commodification, the authentic Nirguni Bhajan tradition of the Varkaris is losing its spiritual essence and audience. The oral transmission of these songs, often without written scripts, makes them highly vulnerable to extinction once the singing elders pass away.
The slow erosion of these endangered cultural practices in Maharashtra is a stark reminder of the fragile nature of intangible heritage. Preservation efforts must go beyond tourism packaging and involve documentation, intergenerational training, and state support. Without timely action, Maharashtra may soon lose not just art forms, but entire worldviews and ways of life rooted in its soil.