How a wall art mural in Telangana celebrates sustainability and community

Sustainability finds an artistic voice at Lepakshi, the multicuisine restaurant at the Pullur toll plaza, about 26 kilometres from Khammam in Telangana. Spanning 50 feet 2 inches by 10 feet 6 inches, a striking mural on the restaurant’s wall intertwines two narratives: one celebrates eco-friendly practices preserved and passed down through generations of women, while the other traces the life cycle of the banana plant, where nothing goes to waste.

Conceptualised by Mounica Tata — a self-taught illustrator, writer, entrepreneur and art educator — the mural is part of Shwa’s ChargeZone Art Initiative, which transforms EV supercharging stations into cultural spaces that spark conversations around sustainability and community.

Created over 10 days by Charly and the Boys, a team of three artists, the mural combines water-based acrylic emulsions used for wall painting with acrylic paints.

The central idea, Mounica says, was to ensure sustainability did not become just another social media buzzword. “Sustainability was a way of life in India, especially for our parents and grandparents in South India. I wanted the mural to feel relatable and accessible, while leaving room for people to interpret it in their own way,” she says.

Originally from Hyderabad and now based in Bengaluru, Mounica was drawn to the banana plant for both its material possibilities and symbolic significance. “Every part of the banana plant is used; nothing goes to waste. It’s deeply woven into everyday life and rooted in the cultural identity of Telangana and Andhra Pradesh,” she says. During her research, she discovered the many sustainable practices associated with the plant — from fibres woven into sarees, baskets and bags to its use in kitchens, temples, agriculture and traditional home remedies. “I brought sustainability into the kitchen because that’s where many of us learn life’s most enduring lessons,” she says.

The mural unfolds as a visual journey, tracing the passage of time as girls become women and dawn gives way to dusk, symbolising one generation making way for the next. Interwoven with local motifs, children playing tokkudu billa (hopscotch), banana plantations, ikat patterns inspired by the sarees worn by women, gorintaaku adorning hands and Bathukamma flowers, it celebrates the intergenerational exchange of culture, wisdom and everyday practices that quietly sustain communities.