In Bengaluru, the paintbrush has once again proven mightier than the sword, as citizens chose action over complaint when a wall near Sundaravana became an eyesore. Volunteers from Rang 4 A Cause, Community Task Force Charitable Trust (CTFCT), Rotary Bengaluru HSR, and SayTrees came together with a shared vision: to create meaningful public art. The result is a striking mural that not only beautifies the space but also educates visitors about environmental stewardship.
The Sundaravana Mural
The mural features four noted environmentalists—Saalumarada Thimmakka, Tulsi Gowda, Vandana Shiva, and Ra-hibai Soma Popare—alongside illustrations of birds, butterflies, insects, reptiles, flowers, and native trees, bringing the essence of an urban forest onto the wall. Through pictorial storytelling, the artwork traces Sundaravana’s inspiring journey, helping visitors understand its origins and purpose.
More than 80 volunteers—artists and non-artists, children and senior citizens—worked for five to six days from planning to execution, including cleaning, whitewashing, and touch-ups to create the mural. “Only about half were artists; for the rest, it became a hands-on learning experience,” says Raghav Uppar, 28, a self-taught artist and founder of Rang 4 A Cause, an NGO dedicated to art and education that led the mural project at Sundaravana. Uppar, through his flagship initiative RANG DOO, has revamped over 15,00,000 square feet of public spaces.
The Sundaravana Wall Mural Project cost close to Rs 1,00,000. The funds were raised mainly through social media. “The wall that measures close to 300 feet now stands as a testament to community spirit,” says Gayathri Shekar, trustee of CTFCT.
Voice Box
Sundaravana was heavily polluted with plastic earlier. We removed plastic from the top two feet, improved the soil with a mix including manure, hay, and red soil. The land was transformed into a Miyawaki forest with 14,000 trees. We continue planting flowering, fruit-bearing, and medicinal plants in the forest. The produce is grown without pesticides. Fallen fruits and vegetables are not harvested for sale, and contribute back as manure.
- Venkatesh HS, President, Community Task Force Charitable Trust
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About the Author: Mini Thomas, a health journalist with over 15 years of experience, is currently an Assistant Editor at The Times of India. She has received numerous awards, including The Statesman award for rural reporting and the PII-ICRC award (twice). Her story on FGM titled The Cut and the Hurt won special mention at the Chameli Devi award and KC Kulish International award.
