The ancient mural paintings of India fall generally into the category of tempera paintings in which some water-soluble adhesive was used as a binding medium for fixing the pigments to the dry plaster. The true fresco technique was not in vogue, although some paintings have been reported executed in lime medium. This article is a brief survey of the extant remains of mural paintings in different parts of India, causes of deterioration, diagnostic procedures and conservation techniques. Methods and materials employed in chemical cleaning and conservation of typical wall paintings from different regions of the subcontinent are described. Structural repairs are very necessary to save many paintings from damage and destruction. Therefore action was taken to stop the entry of rain water and humidity into the painted monuments so as to keep the walls and ceilings dry. for preservation of wall paintings poly(vinyl acetate) solution has proved satisfactory, not only as a fixative for loose pigments, but also as an impregnant for painted surfaces, and as a consolidant and adhesive for securing loose pigment layers and the plaster to the ground and the support.