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Wall Paints Beautifying Bangalore

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Gone are the days when greenery of parks used to please the eyes where ever you go around Bangalore, thanks to the exponential growth and the ever increasing traffic. In an initiative by Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike(BBMP), a bold move has been made through a beautification drive to make the walls in Bangalore look vibrant. BBMP has embarked on the idea of painting city walls with colorful motifs and designs by employing close to 100+ painters. I read in print media sometime back that all these wall paint artists are from Bangalore, have been engaged in the process of painting murals across the Bangalore city.

Selected walls along some main roads will be painted with pictures of murals, folk art, animals and designs inspired from the nature.I am thoroughly impressed by this move and like the paintings all across Bangalore. Starting from school kids, nature, animals and birds, prominet personalities from Karnataka as well as Indian freedom fighters, drug de-addiction, tourist spots and what not! This move will certainly make the mundane walls get a character of its own instead of bearing those ugly posters of some movie, political stunt, car rentals or even a paying guest accommodation available stuff. More over it will be pleasing to the eyes of motorists and commuters traveling on the road to focus on these paintings instead of cribbing about the traffic woes at least for once.

Thanks to Kavitha Lokesh for sharing these images. I haven’t clicked any so far with my camera, but more feast awaits for all those who like to see more. Btw., if you like arts/crafts, there is one blogger friend ‘Shruti @ Mindfull-Meanderings‘ who is conducting some excellent and creative ‘Artsy-Craftsy’ contest. Feel free to visit and take part in the monthly contests on her blog if you find it interesting.

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  1. Hi, its a lovely idea to paint street pillars nd walls. i’m looking for someone to do worli art on my big size compound wall.

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  2. Hi Mohan,
    Thanks for sharing the information.

    I am an artist and I run a drawing and craft school named ‘colour villa’ at 6th cross, kaggadaspura, Bangalore……on the occasion of children’s day on this 14th Nov we along with kids we are planning to paint the walls of our area with social messages……pls help/ guide us find some sponsers to buy colours.

    Thanks Neeta

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  4. I agree – the city could do with more art everywhere. I do think it’s time for art to be appreciated just as we now appreciate good food and soothing music.

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  5. I saw paintings on Malleshpalya Road, leads to Kaggadasapura. Beautifully done. Can I have the contact no/email id please.

    Thanks

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  7. I’m visiting Bangalore for a month. Only one more week to go.
    Can anyone tell me where I can find these wall paintings ? I haven’t come across them yet… (we stay overnight in Indiranagar and work in Kustiranagar), and have been taking rickshaws across the city.

    I would like to take a few pictures of them myself.
    Any website that locates these ?

    I had seen a picture of the ‘tiger’. Any clue where I can find it ??
    (and the others of course)

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    • Hi Hilde, you can find a number of them near Mekhri circle flyover walls near palace grounds. There are also a number of such roadside paintings on the compounds of famous garden ‘Lalbagh’, you start from main gate of lalbagh towards the west gate. These are the two predominant places I can point you to.

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  8. I’ve also seen wall paintings at the schools here in our place. Your BBMP just got the right plan. Those wall paintings can really make our minds relaxed especially when there’s traffic. Though there are no more parks where trees are so green, those street paintings can make us calm and comfortable.

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  11. Yeah, I was very much impressed too wen I saw them in Bangalore during my visit to India in Jan this year. It’s a real cool idea. I saw some pics of different tourist attractions in Karnataka. Unfortunately, I could not snap them I was traveling.

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  12. We were in Kodihalli(Airport Road)for about 3 years..I just love the city except for the traffic..It took almost 30 minutes to reach our house(which was very close to LEEla palace)from the airport:(
    In chennai too Ive seen such paintints of Gods on walls to ward of men dirtying the walls:(But it didnt keep them away

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    • Yeah, i do remember from my own experience that the marathalli bridge used to be bottleneck for most of the traffic jams! Life has gone bit more complicated now on that stretch. Probably it would take another 10-15 mins more now!

      Well, it is a matter of momentary relaxation which is more important than anything else for few not so sensible human beings!

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  13. Mohan, I heard that this initiative actually started out as a way to avoid the ‘other’ wall decorations adorning the city (posters, paan, or the ubiquitous and repugnant urinating). Try as hard as they may, BBMP couldn’t find a way to reduce these menaces. You may have seen that one way of tackling this was to put up an image of Gods/ Goddesses in various forms on the walls. This was mostly being done by aggravated citizens voluntarily. Seeing that this was a very good way to curb the acts of such God-fearing hypocrites, BBMP took a leaf out of this, and of course from cities like Philly, and came up with this elaborate exercise! That’s one of the reasons why most of the initial paintings were of Gods or religious-themed. It does pinch to know the authorities had to take such an elaborate measure (at a big expense too, am sure) for the nonchalance of some of us.
    Nevertheless, the paintings are really awesome and eye-catching. The best part is, we are spared from seeing a horrible painting of some unimaginatively titled Kannada movie!!!! And in place, we really can feast our eyes to some inspiring art work. 🙂

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    • Aparna, I am glad something has turned out really well irrespective of whatever may be the trigger. Even I have seen people fixing the glazed tiles having the images of gods at places where people shouldn’t be urinating as against the usage of ‘nirmala shouchalaya’s. People hardly use those corporate sponsored *paid* toilets. Only a bit of common sense and presence of cleanliness mind can save our public places from abuses.

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  14. The first time I saw this murals in Philadelphia .. I was at first not very much interested but later few of very beautiful murals attracted my attraction. I am glad Bangalore is having some kind of face lift…

    Congratulations Mohan for standing 5th in the contest…

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    • I just got to know about these murals in Philadelphia from Hari in one of the comments above! Thanks Farida… wish I had won that 🙂

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  15. Bangalore is one of my favourite cities in the world.. I lived there for a year, and absolutely fell in love with it.. this is such a awesome way to beautify the city. And the painters will get employment too.. Smart idea.!!

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    • Absolutely, we always blame the civic bodies… but in this case kudos to them for all the good work. Can’t imagine the number of people who have fell in love with Bangalore because of its weather and the beauty… But the fact is if you had seen bangalore a decade back, then the summary would have been ‘heaven’ 🙂

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      • I was in Bangalore a decade back.. And that is why I love it so much.. Ppl say its not so great anymore – pollution, traffic, etc is worse. I dont want to believe it. Will have to see it to believe so..

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        • Ah! that says it all 🙂 Welcome back soon, otherwise you might see ‘Namma Metro’ operational and there by reducing a major chunk of traffic congestion 😉

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  16. Good post Mohan. The city where I live (Philadelphia) is one of the first cities in the West to start this trend. We call it murals. The city gets people together in poor neighborhoods and encourage the kids to paint on the walls. There are some spectacular paintings all over the city.

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  17. I so wanted to click some pics the last time I ws there and do a post .. cud nt get arnd to dng that 🙁
    Nice pics and I liked their idea .. here, all I cn see are paan-paintings 😛

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  18. Ohhhhhhhhhhhh!! Thanks for the promotion. i suddenly noticed increased traffic n it had to be u! 🙂

    N i love the paintings that BBMP is undertaking all over the city.. Have u seen the warli paintings near rajkumar memorial?? I am very bad with road names.. i’ll pester my hubby and get that info. like u said ” Truly a feast for our eyes” ..

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    • Hi Shruti, my pleasure to share and appreciate the wonderful contest you are running! Rajkumar memorial? i thought it is still under construction. No, I haven’t seen.

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  20. Its a good move on the part of BBMP and my friends coming from outside have appreciated the paintings. Now, it is up to the public not to deface them with posters etc. Now, even in Parks BBMP is installing several type of sign boards and do’s and don’ts board as a part of maintenance.

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    • Yes, i saw an electronic sign board last week installed just before starting on to KR Puram bridge with a message indicating that Mysore road will be closed due to some possession for about 3 hours and suggested the vehicles going that side to take different route. I was very happy to see such pro-active measures the officials are taking off late.

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  21. Yeah I have noticed these painted walls everwhere and am simply awestruck by the talents of these artists! And i have seen them doing it.. they hardly take more than 2 to 3 days to finish a wall. You did a great job by appreciating them. And a great initiative by BBMP which now employees so many people!

    And i am glad to see your post.. as I got to know about this contest. I am submitting my art.. and will let u know when to vote for it 😛

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    • Those artists and BBMP deserve more than a bit of appreciation from our end. Hence paying the tribute to all of them this way 🙂
      Oh yeah… You should! I do remember your wall painting at new home having birds and the branches… My pleasure, will wait for your entry 🙂

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    • You should have posted your resume on Monster, probably they will help you in getting the right job Ro 😉
      Having said that apart, I know you are an excellent artist with paintings. Keep it up.

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  23. i have a lot of these…..in Bengaluru………it’s really good to see all the painting when you visit the city as a outsider………we have one in Jayanagar….where they have paintings of some of the freedom fighters ………that’s really great to see everyday……

    \,,/

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  24. Hi Mohan,

    Very glad you wrote about this. I’d seen the walls and flyovers on a recent whirlwind visit to your city but forgot about it at some point. Very inspiring initiative, must say.

    By the way, also saw the beautiful purple flowers you’d photographed recently and posted.

    There was another flowering tree I saw during my visit. It bore gorgeous light pink flowers. Do you know what that’s called?

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  26. Thats sooooo beautiful!!! And a really nice way to beautify the city… It surely soothes the eye, it will surely bring a smile on the face:)))

    And Shruti definitely has some nice crafty challenges!

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  27. Very nice step ….this happened in my city too,they sure are very soothing to the eyes and mind of the passer by.The images are very beautiful.Thanks for telling us about Shruti,would love to visit her.

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    • Wow.. that is interesting to know. I thought these bureaucrats from bangalore have come up with an unique I thought! Nevertheless, idea is great! Sure, you will enjoy following her blog as well 🙂

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