Mandla Fort Station- wall murals coming up

Wall paintings coming up soon

Influenced by the community and the history of the region. the railway station at Mandla Fort Station will soon boast of a new look. Where the history outside is reflected on the walls and the doors, a living, breathing tribute to the people and the community.  

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Read on to understand what the station will look like soon. 

Gond- the influence on culture

In the diverse landscapes of Madhya Pradesh, the Gond community, known as Konds or "green mountain" dwellers, calls the broken hills belt in Chattisgarh, Raker and Chanda districts, and the verdant Satpura plateau in Chindwara, Betul, Seoni, and Mandala regions, their ancestral home.

Originating as forest hunters, the Gonds' way of life extends beyond farming to include enduring practices like storytelling, painting, hunting, and the gathering of forest goods. Their belief system centers around a deep reverence for deities, reating a spiritual landscape that enriches their cultural identity.

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The Gonds express their culture through intricately crafted homes, adorned with bhittichitra murals depicting vibrant ancestral stories. Beyond murals, their artistic expressions include seasonal festivals, folk dances, and the integral bhittichitra art form—depicting various aspects of their life and surroundings.

A diverse range of crafts, from Rattan bamboo & lantana furniture to decor products made out of carved wood, black metal, dhokra (lost wax) and grass craft, contributes to the vibrant cultural mosaic of the Gond community in the Mandla region.

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Inclusivity of our tribal communities

Using Gond and Bhil artwork is part of an effort to include our tribal communities in the development process, making them active participants in contributing to the overall progress of the country.

Preserving the ancient practices, artworks, culture, traditions, and lifestyle of tribal communities is not only important for their own identity and well-being but also for enriching the diverse cultural fabric of the entire nation.

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Nature-centric Themes: Gond art predominantly features vibrant depictions of nature, animals, and birds, showcasing a deep connection with the environment.

Intricate Patterns: Artists use intricate patterns and fine detailing to create
visually captivating compositions, often characterized by repetitive shapes and lines.

Bright Colors: Bold and bright colors, often vegetable-based, contribute to the vivid and lively nature of Gond art, adding vibrancy to the intricate designs.

Mythological Motifs: Gond art frequently incorporates mythological motifs,
tribal deities, and symbolic entities, reflecting the community's spiritual beliefs.

Storytelling Through Art: Gond artists employ their paintings as a medium for storytelling, narrating cultural tales and ancestral stories.

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This station- walls decorated with Gond, Bhil artwork

The lantana tree in the front lawn

Mandla has the largest living Eucalyptus tree in Asia. The lawn area which also proves to be a open air public resting place for the commuters also happens to be the first image when one enters the majestic fort inspired railway station.

We create a scaled model of the banyan tree, crafted in lantana by the local artists to be placed in the lawn area. With lantana chatris and bamboo lights. 

A tribute to S. H. Raza

The murals at Mandla station also pays a tribute to S.H. Raza's creations, his artworks will be depicted in hand crafted colourful tiles locally made by EkiBeki artisans.

The mosaic mural will greet the commuters in its bold colors and
strokes which were originally painted by the master artist depicting his grand art. 

Art in the VIP Waiting Rooms

Farhat Datta is an artist, Graphic Designer, Environmentalist based in Mumbai. Choti Tekam is a Gond artisan from a small village Patangarh, near Amarkantak, Madhya Pradesh.

These paintings are made in collaboration with both these artists, a best of both worlds.

Goonj: The Gond piece done by Choti, of a lush and bountiful tree, alive with birds and bird chatter, is a classic representation of mother nature in its full glory. Farhat’s concept was to create the effect of “a close up” of the Gond piece, while still adhering to the form and colors of the bird, leaves and the tree form.

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Jugalbandi: The concept was to crystallize the main elements of Choti’s piece and to present them in a modern and contemporary light with influences of Farhat’s own style of work.

Wood carvings on the ceilings

Drawing from the rich tradition of wooden craftsmanship in the region, skilled artisans in wood carving create ceiling and door panels in geometric, floral and nature themed wood.

The concourse area feature square block grid wooden panels suspended from the ceiling. 

A tribute to the powerful queens

The inspiration behind the styling of the Mandla station lies in the glorious history of the powerful queens -Durgavati and Avantibai who reigned in the past. Their valour is aptly depicted in Gond art.

The paintings are expressions of rituals or practices that are deeply linked with their day to day lives, religious sentiments and devotions.
Themes of Gond paintings are often based on local festivals like Karwa Chauth, Deepawali, AhoiAshtami, Nag Panchmi, etc.

Horses, elephants, tigers, birds, gods, men and objects of daily life are painted in bright and multicolored hues.  The Mandla fort and the Narmada Sangam Sthal serve as an important layer in the conceptualization of the designs.

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Both the queens of Mandla have had huge contributions in keeping the Mandla fort. As we transform the railway station it into looking like an actual fort, nothing will be more apt than depicting the queens.

Artist: Local Gond artisans from Mandla district & EkiBeki Illustrators