In Pictures: Roaring Makeover of Sawai Madhopur Railway Station

In Pics: Makeover of Ranthambore’s gateway, Sawai Madhopur railway station.

Sawai Madhopur railway station developed as heritage station in collaboration with WWF. (Photo: The Quint)

Sawai Madhopur, the tourist city which is home to the Ranthambore National Park, looks unlike any other station in the country. The Sawai Madhopur railway station in Rajasthan has become one of the most beautiful stations in the country, with spectacular paintings and graffiti spread across its walls. The objective is to spread awareness about conservation among tourists in Ranthambore.

A team of local painters from the Ranthambore School of Art gave the station a spectacular makeover with paintings, graffiti and cut-outs depicting the flora and fauna of the region.

Touted to be the first of its kind in the country, the project is being funded by the World Wildlife Fund India (WWF-I).

Paintings at the Sawai Madhopur station to increase awareness among tourists about conservation in Ranthambore. (Photo: The Quint)

The Sawai Madhopur Railway Station. (Photo: The Quint)

The paintings are of darters, tree-pies, hyenas, bears, leopards, and, of course, tigers. The famed old Banyan Tree of Ranthambore National Park is also depicted in the paintings and in its artistic form, the tree’s roots spread wide over the roof and across walls. The myriad creatures like squirrels, peacocks, woodpeckers, kingfishers and bulbuls, that are painted as if thriving on the branches of trees, look extremely lifelike.

Sawai Madhopur railway station developed as heritage station in collaboration with WWF. (Photo: Ministry of Railways)

Sawai Madhopur Railway station developed as heritage station in collaboration with WWF. (Photo: Ministry of Railways)

Part of the project also includes a similar transformation of the Bharatpur railway station in the state and painting the coaches of the Kota-Nizamuddin Jan Shatabdi, a train which is frequently used by tourists to Ranthambore. These two phases will also be funded by the WWF-I.

Painting to showcase jungle life and to spread awareness about conservation and promote tourism. (Photo: The Quint)

A painting at the Sawai Madhopur station to increase awareness among tourists about conservation in Ranthambore. (Photo: The Quint)

Sawai Madhopur Railway station developed as heritage station in collaboration with WWF. (Photo: The Quint)

Paintings at the Sawai Madhopur station to increase awareness among tourists about conservation in Ranthambore. (Photo: The Quint)

The walls of Sawai Madhopur railway station reflecting the grandeur of the Ranthambore Tiger Reserve. (Photo: The Quint)

Sawai Madhopur Railway station developed as heritage station in collaboration with WWF. (Photo: The Quint)

Sawai Madhopur Railway station developed as heritage station in collaboration with WWF (Photo: The Quint)

Graffiti and paintings at the Sawai Madhopur railway station to increase awareness among tourists about conservation in Ranthambore. (Photo: The Quint)

Ranthambore’s gateway, Sawai Madhopur railway station, gets a unique makeover. (Photo: The Quint)

A team of local painters from the Ranthambore School of Art gave the station a spectacular makeover. (Photo: The Quint)