Walls That Tell Stories: The Living Legacy of Burma’s Hand-Painted Murals

For centuries, Burmese walls have shared stories of kings and monks, of Buddhist cosmologies and everyday lives, of landscapes real and imagined. Across temples, palaces, and monasteries, the art of hand-painted murals has been a vital medium for storytelling in Burma. 

That same tradition finds fresh expression far from its original contexts on the walls of Burma Burma’s restaurants across India, where each space continues the practice of telling stories through art.

Temple to the palace

The story of Burmese murals begins long before the 19th century, with the earliest known examples dating back to the 11th-century temples of Bagan. These vibrant wall paintings transformed sacred spaces into visual narratives, illustrating the Jātaka tales (stories of the Buddha’s past lives) and scenes from the Buddha’s earthly journey. They were intended to simplify and share Buddhist teachings through images with people who couldn’t read or understand scriptures.

By the 17th and 18th centuries, the mural tradition had flourished into a complex, sophisticated art form. Monastic walls and palace chambers became elaborate canvases, depicting not just religious iconography but also courtly life, village scenes, and cosmological diagrams. 

With the rise of the Konbaung Dynasty (1752–1885), mural painting reached new heights. Gold leaf was sometimes incorporated into pigments — a technique known as shwe zawa — to create luminous, almost divine compositions that shimmered by candlelight.

These murals were also reflections of changing times. As European influence seeped into Burma during the 19th century, artists began experimenting and blending Western techniques with traditional iconography.

Masters of the wall

As Burmese painting evolved, certain artists left a mark on its trajectory. Among them was Saya Chone (1866–1917), a court painter to King Thibaw, whose work bridged tradition and innovation. His murals and scrolls combined classical composition with Western pictorial techniques. His student, Saya Aye (1872–1930), continued this evolution, bringing ceremonial and narrative subjects into his style.

The 20th century saw a radical shift in Burmese art. Visionaries like Bagyi Aung Soe (1924–1990) introduced abstraction, surrealism, and experimental media into Burmese visual culture. While his work moved beyond the mural tradition, it carried forward the same impulse to tell Burmese stories.

Walls that speak at Burma Burma

The tradition of narrative painting continues to shape Burma Burma’s approach to space and storytelling. Each restaurant is more than a place to eat. We have curated a journey through Burma’s cultural and artistic heritage. Murals, installations, and sculptural walls are integral to how each location tells its own story.

At the Aerocity restaurant in Delhi, a mural weaves together motifs from Burmese mythology and temple architecture. 

In Goregaon’s Oberoi Mall, sweeping mural work evokes the pagoda-dotted plains of Bagan, creating a visual journey across Burma’s most iconic landscapes. 

In Bengaluru, the Mall of Asia address depicts Thingyan, Burma’s water festival that celebrates the Burmese New Year. 

The newest chapter in this ongoing story is being painted at Burma Burma’s latest outpost at Jio World Drive, BKC. Here, the design draws deeply from Burmese art but reimagines it for a modern, urban audience. 

Art is at the heart of the new space. Walls are lined with original works by contemporary Burmese artists, each piece more distinct from the next.

Every element of the private dining room continues this language of layered storytelling. The walls are wrapped in custom wallpaper inspired by Burmese motifs.

Across centuries, Burmese murals have evolved from sacred scriptures to a contemporary art form. Yet their essence has remained unchanged. At Burma Burma, we are trying to preserve this tradition while also reimagining it in our way. Each location offers a new chapter, each wall a new story. Next time you dine with us, pay close attention to our walls. Perhaps, you will discover a piece of Burma you never knew before.