Waral Prakalp

Waral Prakalp is a collective initiative founded by brothers Mayur and Tushar Vayeda, artists and storytellers from the indigenous Warli community of Maharashtra, India. Rooted in ancestral Warli knowledge and expanded through contemporary forms of art and activism, the collective works to protect forests, regenerate ecological balance, and preserve cultural heritage.

With the support of the Visible Fellowship, Waral Prakalp will establish their first permanent community hub in Devgaon-Ganjad. This new space will act as a co-creative centre for research, dialogue, and cultural production, while also housing a library and archive dedicated to safeguarding and sharing indigenous knowledge. Alongside the construction of this space, the fellowship will enable the development of a seed library to preserve the biodiversity of local crops and forest species, as well as a nursery to support reforestation and provide saplings for community farmers.

Community engagement and artistic practice are central to Waral Prakalp’s vision. Over the course of 18 months, the collective will host workshops, storytelling sessions, and intergenerational learning programmes in the new space. They will also create artworks and cultural projects that bring visibility to ecological concerns and Warli traditions, both locally and internationally.

Through the Visible Fellowship, Waral Prakalp will establish its first permanent space, strengthening the bridge between ancestral wisdom and contemporary practices. By combining ecological action, artistic storytelling, and community co-creation, the fellowship will help us continue our journey of reforesting, knowledge preservation, and cultural dialogue.

Mayur and Tushar Vayeda (Waral Prakalp)

The timeline of activities begins with the construction of the community hub and the initiation of the seed library and nursery between August and December 2025. From January to June 2026, the space will open its doors to co-creative programmes, workshops, and plantation activities. In the final six months, the focus will shift towards public presentations, including exhibitions, storytelling events, and collaborative projects with artisans, farmers, and community members, accompanied by documentation and evaluation.

By the end of the fellowship, Waral Prakalp will have established a fully functional space that serves as an educational, cultural, and ecological hub, supported by a living seed library and nursery. Their work will leave a lasting archive of indigenous knowledge in the form of artworks, photographs, short films, and books, and will amplify the visibility of indigenous ecological practices through artistic and cultural collaborations.