Street artists Swathi and Vijay tug Hyderabad’s conscience with stark murals that expose the child-begging mafia, and urge society to protect vulnerable children

xChildren with vacant eyes held by women beggars confront commuters, not only on the streets of Hyderabad, but from its walls – two of the city’s most uncompromising street artists, Swathi and Vijay, force citizens to stop, stare, and question themselves.

Walls in Gachibowli, Himayatnagar and select private spaces now carry haunting messages such as “Why am I always sleepy?” and “I’m not an object for begging.”

Personal inspiration

“The inspiration came from a very personal place,” says Vijay. “We had a newborn in the family and suddenly became over-conscious, carrying water bottles everywhere, checking if food was organic, be

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