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A journey into a village of centuries-old toymakers.
Try looking up the little village of Channapatna, located around 60 km from Bengaluru. The first thing you will see is images of adorable toys in gleaming, earthy colours. Also known as gombegala ooru, which translates to Land of Toys, the residents of this village have been making toys for centuries. In almost every home, you can hear the whirring of the lathe turning machine, as skilled hands shape blocks of wood into doll sets, rattles, and toy trains.
Interestingly, the origins of this craft are to be found in Persia. When Tipu Sultan, the King of Mysore, was gifted these toys in the 18th century, he became fascinated by them. He brought Persian artisans to train the local people to make these toys. Traditionally, ivory wood was used to make Channapatna toys. But now artisans use cedar, pine, rubber, and even sandalwood for their creations. The artisans have also expanded their offerings from toys to keychains, home decor, jewellery, and even acupressure sets. Pro tip: Buy directly from artisans for a wide selection of products as well as better prices. On my visit, I picked up several keychains as gifts for friends and an adorable showpiece of a rotund balancing doll that now sits on my bookshelf at home.
The most striking feature of Channapatna toys and products is its gorgeous sheen and bright colours. This is because all the toys are coated in coloured lacquer, which is a natural resin created by an insect called lac. It is this very substance that gives the glossy finish that Channapatna toys are known for. Lac is melted over the fire until it transforms into a soft dough. Once it becomes pliable, it’s mixed with natural, organic pigments. For example, the manjistha herb is used for red colour while turmeric is used for yellow, and kumkum is used to create orange. After the pigments are added, the lac mixture is reheated and mixed until the desired shade is achieved. Then it is cooled and cut into long colour sticks that are used to paint the toys in vivid hues. Consequently, the toys are non-toxic and completely safe for children.
The ancient technique for making Channapatna toys calls for wood to be dried and treated first and then cut into chunks. A block of wood is fixed to a turning lathe. I was transfixed as I watched the artisan shape and mould the block of wood into a doll. He neatly rounded the edges of the doll so that there were no pointy bits to injure the little hands that will hold them. Once he was satisfied with the structure of the toy, it was time to add some colour. Channapatna artisans use an ingenious method to do this. The lac colour stick is simply held against the toy that is attached to the spinning lathe. The heat from the friction melts the colour off the stick and transfers it onto the toy. I was mesmerised by his skilled hands painting the toy with such precision. The process looked so intriguing that I couldn't resist requesting to try my hand at it. Needless to say, my attempt failed as I could only produce wonky lines.
Making Channapatna toys is an art form that demands a fair amount of skill, hours of practice, and an eye for detail. Once the toy is completed, you simply can’t take your eyes off it. The toys not only delight children but adults too. Artisans also make showpieces for customers who wish to adorn their homes with this precious art form. Surprisingly, Channapatna toys also grace the mantle of former U.S. President Barack Obama, who was gifted these toys back in 2015, when he visited India. The toys garnered worldwide recognition as a result of this small gesture. So much so that the toys have received the Geographical Indication (GI) tag in recognition of their cultural and artistic significance. That’s not all, the Indian Space Research Institute (ISRO) endorses Channapatna toys too. ISRO has partnered with Indic to retail its official merchandise. Among its collectables, you will find beautiful wooden DIY rocket model assembling kits and rocket model pencil boxes. These are all crafted by artisans from Channapatna using the same centuries-old technique.
These precious toys are a symbol of a little village’s endeavour to keep an art form alive. Diminishing sales in recent years have forced artisans to choose other professions to earn their livelihood. It is up to us to be custodians of this beautiful craft by choosing these wonderful, eco-friendly, all-natural toys for our children and our homes, over toxic plastic toys.
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