murals of Bhopal

The artwork in Bhopal really caught my eye.

It’s not just that it’s everywhere—on walls, turns, alleys—it’s that it means something. These are not random visuals to distract or decorate. They are Gond paintings, traditional tribal art from this very region. And each one feels like a breath, a pause, a moment of reverence in the middle of everyday life.

Gond paintings carry a kind of peace.

There’s this flow inside them—animals shaped by intricate, rhythmic lines, often done in delicate whites, blacks, or earthy browns. Bright outer colours hold together inner patterns that move like waves or whispers. You can tell: each brushstroke was placed with care.

Precision. Clarity. Passion.

You cannot paint like this unless you’re completely present. These murals are not loud or demanding. They don’t shout for attention. But they hold it—completely. I found myself staring at them, moment after moment, as if trying to trace the artist’s breath through every line.

-

The more I looked, the more I realised: sometimes, less is more.

Sometimes, the smallest details hold the most power. Even if you think no one is noticing—someone is. And maybe that’s the point. To do things for the sake of doing them well. To care. To create without expectation.

These walls reminded me:

Make art for the sake of art.

Be passionate.

Be exacting.

Put your heart into it.

And someone, somewhere, will feel it.

-

The city breathes colour.

These paintings are everywhere in Bhopal. Almost every wall.

It changes everything. If you’re walking, tired, or just existing in the rhythm of a regular day—suddenly, you look to your left, and there’s a deer painted in electric blue, its body filled with symmetrical waves. Or a cow in burnt orange, with white dots flowing across its spine. Or even Buddha, eyes closed in deep stillness, surrounded by soft foliage.

The city becomes something else.

You could forget, just for a moment, that you’re in a small city in the middle of India. You could feel like you're somewhere entirely different. Somewhere timeless. Somewhere quietly joyful.

-

If I designed a city…

If I were a politician or an urban planner, I’d take this to heart.

Every city needs this. Not just buildings—but beauty. Not just function—but feeling. If every street had a story on its walls, maybe we’d walk a little slower. Maybe we’d look up more. Maybe we’d feel more rooted in where we are.

Even if you’re just driving, you feel it. A mural is not just a painting—it’s a pause. A soft moment of connection.

And maybe that’s what Bhopal gave me:

Perspective.

A reminder that beauty can be everywhere, even in the smallest corners of a city.

And for a few seconds on those painted streets, I wasn’t chasing anything. I was just… living.

And I loved every second of it.