How Project 72 Hrs Is Beautifying Kohima, One Mural At A Time

In July 2015, a small group of volunteers got together to clean up Kohima, Nagaland. Their goal comprised of 72 hours of work spread over the course of a year to clear the main town, however, what they weren’t expecting was the overwhelming turn out that had them completing this goal in a mere 45 days. The man behind the project, Seyievituo Solo, is a cyclist who has seen most of South Asia and Europe from the seat of his bicycle, and when he returned home realised that the growing menace of public littering was ruining the beauty of Kohima.

Today, instead of meeting once a week to clean, Project 72 Hrs has expanded their goals and now describe themselves as a “community-based organization which encourages citizens to voluntarily partake in any activity that can uplift the society through positive outlook towards life and goals.” This includes everything from volunteer work to street art beautification.

The Urban Kohima Street Art mission is a branch of Project 72 Hrs that is bringing life to the blank stretches of wall across the town. But these murals are not your everyday graffiti art, they’re nothing short of masterpieces. All the contributing artists are local residents, led by Vineizotuo Tase who gained national recognition at last years Hornbill Festival for his stunning photorealistic depictions of traditional Naga warriors, who are his inspiration. These murals in all their vivid splendour now line the walls of Kohima, bringing not only beauty but a sense of cultural pride to the people of the town.