ACKNOWLEDGMENT

THANK

- YOU

ACKNOWLEDGM

We would like to extend our gratitude Karnataka Handicrafts Development Corporation for this wonderful opportunity to be able

to document a tale of unique craft and culture.We are extremely thankful to Mr. Murlidhar , and other

state officials for their co-operation.Our mentor Mrs Lavina Bhaskar for her precious time and advice,

Mr B. Venkatesh at Katerpillar Industries and Mr. Kauser Pasha for it is through their words and experience

that we write this. Last but not the least the really helpful children who showed us around their mohallas

and we really owe it to them.

Preface

Our perception of art was just limited to paintbrushes and kitsch, psyched unconventional colors and out of the box design. Design is what you see and what you innovate and make new things out of the professor taught. Design and

art is unconventional the professor taught.

Misconception. If its simple its design. If its simple yet engrossing its art. Amazing how we forgot of the age old conventions. Amazing how we forgot of the skill and traditional knowledge and there would be no better an art than the one practiced over hundreds of years and years .It might have seemed to us on the same lines when we were asked to proceed towards

sleepy old mohallas in the sleepier so called toytown Channapatna which quite surprisingly opened a chest full of questions and realisations for us. For brief but strong moments we were touched , tired bruised . However making us

more and more aware.

The toymaking industry is a lot more to it seems. Sixty miles to the south of Bangalore , the lifestyle was busy yet controlled in a magical manner. There is nothing that comes between an artisans will to work and his love for the

traditional art of toymaking. Not even money.This is an experience where we learned things about the unique tale of craft and the vibrant culture of Karnataka. Channapatna. Our journey starts here. Its a journey that takes us through the lives of the artisans practicing the very same art though from different walks of live and brings them together to

make one big experience, one learning experience. These people are the promoters of art and the blessed ones, they have immense passion for whatever they do .

And this is why their stories deserve to be heard. They are art. Theyre India.

eco friendly hand crafted joy colorful nostalgia

eco friendly hand crafted joy colorful nostalgia

OBJECTIVEThe objective of the study is to understand the craft and cluster such as to step out from the doors of a restricted

mindset, a classroom into the actual world and draw a parallel such that a brigde of innovation and creative

design and branding solutions is created for promoting the artisians.

cont

ents

story of a toyResearch methodologyIntroduction

1 5 11 29

a wooden land forgottenCulturePeopleReligionHow to reach ChannapatnaDemographicsAttractionsWhat to wear

story of CHannaPatnaA day in life of ChannapatnaTwo faces of Channapatna

Colours of woodHistory of woodcarvingEvolution of wood carving in IndiaApplication in Channapatna

tales etCHed in woodSourcing of raw materialsThe toy makinh processMaual and Machine madeLacqueringQuality check and assemblingPackaging and marketing

33

Case studies and researCHesMaya OrganicsKaterpillar toysNeelasandraChannapatna- A future bleak ?

artisians ProfileKausar PashaMohammed SamiullahSamiullah PashaB VenkateshAround the Globe

Poetry in woodTools and machineryDying processProduct mix

for a Better worldSolutionsRealisations and Suggestions

wHat we tHinkA breif on our experiences and journey through art unsung.Of stories unheard and skill unmatched to take thsi age old craft forward

aPPendixGlossaryReferences

43 63 82 87 89 91

When all of us remember growing up to those Star Wars and Barbie toys in our closet, when all remember the ultimate desire to have the latest GI Joe or a giraffe soft toy in the closet stuffed

up, inanimate and colour faded, There sits a toy in an inner shelf , unused , untouched for years.

The toy, vibrant as ever. The toy , full of life as ever. With colours that shine and tell us the story

of a little piece of wood and have provided us immense joy.

Pick that little toy up. Think of the number of Lat-toos you played with as a child and think and

smile and say. I love my childhood. There lies a story behind this all. There lies a

sleepy small town in Karnataka that attributes a teeny weeny percent to every childs growing up

behind this.

The sTory of a Toy. (InTroducTIon To channapaTna)

1

Channapatna. Never heard of . Never seen of . Small town with a promising fancy name. Channapatna is colour , life,experience and a beautiful toy story woven together.A town majorly known for its history in toys . Channapatna is almost synonymous to toymaking and lacquerware in the professional markets in India . A mass of artisans who have dedicated their lives to toymaking and wooden handcrafts , the town is almost a little unsung hero .A wholesale supply Industry solely balancing one handedly on Indian Handicrafts and wooden artifacts put together is a big deal. Weve all heard about this a thousand times but never bothered to explore. Here is our time. Channapatna State Karnataka District RamanagaramPopulation 71912 Languages spoken- Kannada,Urdu,Tamil, HindiAverage Temperature 38 degreesGeographical Area 53,587 hectares Height above sea level 739 metres (Average elevation) Not very far from pub and hub city Bangalore , lies a sleepy small town some 60 kms south on the Bangalore Mysore Highway called Channapatna. Channapatna is famous for its toymaking art and wooden handicraft industry worldwide. It is one of the considerably old towns around and has a remarkable history when looked back in the pages of time.

The Doll city of Karnataka or the Toy Town of Karnataka as it is called is home to a lot of other eminent industries that play an important role in the nations export import trade. It houses a number of industries regarding production of raw silk and twisting of raw silk produce as well as coconut production industries . Various other activities are also carried out here by rural artisans for likelihood namely carpenting, Dhobi, Blacksmithy, Stone crushers etc. Channapatna is spread over a good region of 53587 hectares of land and is home to about 71912 people as per the consensus of 2012 .Males constitute 51% of the population and females 49%. Channapatna has an average literacy rate of 68%, higher than the national average of 59.5%; with male literacy of 72% .and female literacy of 64%. 12% of the population is under 6 years of age.The city is famous for its wooden toys and lacquer ware. The toys are a particular form of wooden toys (and dolls) that are manufactured in the town of Channapatna. This traditional craft is protected as a geographical indication (GI) under the World Trade Organization, administered by the Government of Karnataka.Traditionally, the work involved lacquering the wood of the Wrightia tinctoria tree, colloquially called Aale mara. The origin of these toys can be traced to the reign of Tipu Sultan who invited artisans from Persia to train the local artisans in the making of wooden toys. For nearly two centuries, ivory-wood was the main wood used in the making of these toys, though rosewood and sandalwood were also occasionally used.Channapatna , as the government calls it is now a taluk was made a centre and a full fledged taluk in 1892 and was earlier under Ramanagaram

There have been references to Channapatna in some ancient Tamil scriptures of this place dating back to about 1100 AD that it was constructed by one Choila official Kalumalam Vedu Appanai a merchant residing at Siriya Malavur. All other details are lost but the earlier mention of this place is in a Vijayanagara record where there are mentions of a place called Channapattana Rajya dating back to about 1387 AD . Tales and glories of the Chola emperors and how power and tradition led to the settlement of this town are prevalent.

HISTORY

It is locally said that in olden days, the place was also called Chandapura, out there is no epigraphical evidence tothis view. The place is on the left bank of the Kanva river. it was under the Gangas as Mankunda nearby (9 km from Chan-napatna) was the secondary capital of Gangas for some time. Historians say that the place was ruled by The Cholas initially which was followed by the Hoy-salas, the Vijayanagar kings. King Tim-mapparaja Aras and Jagadevaraya had contributed extensively towards building the place and transforming it into a place of worship. Tipu Sultan along with the Wodeyars- Rana Jagadeva Raya and his family ruled the territory of Barama-hal along with Mysore. Across the Kanva river, in Malur or Dod Malur another town of the Chola times, now a hobli centre. Channapatna was the headquarters of a `rajya under Vijayanagar and the Bhandarada Thimmappayya adminis-tered it in 1534. It became the capital of Jagadevaraya whose family was subor-dinate to Vijayanagara..

DID YOU KNOW

As a result of the popularity

of toys and the toy making

art, Channapatna is known as

Gombegala Ooru of Karnataka.

Gombegala meaning toys and

trinkets and Ooru being town in

Kannada. Hence , Channapatna

is also known as the toy town of

Karnataka.

Channapatna has Artisan

Training Institute (A.T.I) which was

established 94 years ago. This

institute was established to promote

Channapatna toys..

4

RESEARCH METHODOLOGY

Our journey at the cluster in Channapatna has been a memorable one. Channapatna was not only an experience of fun but also learning. It put us face to face with the actual world and taught us so many things. Roaming about home to home , kachcha pakka makaans painted in vibrant colors and learning about their style of working and their lifestyle , the toy making process was in itself an experience.We followed a standard question set that we

asked people as per their areas and talked to their family member , their wives to get more familiar with the world they live in. This research was conducted with idea of exploring new realms art and design. The major emphasis of this research was to extract new insight out of the problem. Indepth interviews, organised questionaires helped in putting together the research forward and analysing the different opinions collected across by using the expert

opinion.It was an extremely polite interaction. We kept our language more and more simple and dressed in an acceptable manner as well. Interacting with the kids at Masjid Gali and Kalanagar also helped us a lot . What Channapatna has taught to us is the amazing art of never losing your ground and maintaining a low profile yet

being the best for what it is. Toymaking.

anirban das anjali anjali kumari anjali mehta anmol loonia aparna nethaji

1

2

Famous for making beads and

other small products.

Major usage of hand machines.

Famous for making toys and

Major usage of electric run

machines.

Famous for making educational

toys and accesory products.

Use of hand as well as

electrical machines.

state : karnatakA

dISTRICT : RAMNAGARA

FARMLANDS

FARMLANDS

SMALL HILLS WITH COCONUT

PLANTATION

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1

people . culture . religion

5

people . culture . religion

6

PeOPLe Channapatna is a wonderful mix of people of all religion considering their unity and passion towards their art. The place and town has evolved out of the artisans that Tipu Sultan brought with him from Persia to practice the art. Channapatna, like any other small town is a conservative , slow paced town with people extremely passionate considering their profession , be it stone crushers, be it a butcher, be it a steel industry worker or wood loather. People in this town are to the work and the work is to them. They work to live or they live to work. We came across a lot of such stories and people that we intend to

tell you further.Channapatna is open to all people who show interest in the age old art , to either start an industry or promote this craft . This town is home to about 20000 families which constitute of about 8000 artisans working in 254 small industries, working and machinery units. Apart from the toymaking industry, the city is also known for the tilling and production of raw silk from the cocoons and also has a good amount of coconut

produce. The people speak languages ranging from Kannada to Urdu to anywhere between a mix of these two and a primitive version of dumbcharades for the outsiders.A lot of people are really happy to share the knowledge of the art with people coming in from Bangalore and take pride in where the

town

is today in terms of name only for the sake of making toys. The people are surely more orthodox than compared to the fast paced cities. The core earning of any family in the town is still out of the woodcraft industry or

lacquerware painting.they wear abayas and go out or make it a point to cover their heads with dupattas out of modesty. The other women , be it the Hindu women or the Muslim stay home and take care of the household. Some women also help their family with toymaking but indoors. Most of the children in the town are sent out to the cities nearby namely Bangalore or Mysore to train or study further. They are still trying to keep this art alive in every family

hence.

CULTURe

Channapatna is home to many religions namely hindu and Muslim and hence possesses a good cultural history . There is song, there is dance, there is music All sweetly embedded

in a conventional Kannada culture.The dances of Channapatna bear resemblance to that of its close by areas such as the myriad cultures

seen

in Mysore and Tamil nadu and it is very much evident in their traditional dance styles. Most of the religious folk dances of the region are named after the deity or the symbol or instruments used in the dance performances like the Veena or the stringed instruments that are used generally. These are either held in the dancers hands or heads, while the locals dance to the fast beat of the drums. The dancers also wear colourful clothes and anklets, which make rhythmic sounds while they tap their feet to the beat of

the drums.Besides the folk dance tradition, Channapatna also has a rich legacy of classical dance forms like the Mysore style of Bharatanatyam, which is the oldest and the most popular form of classical dance. You can also see Kuchipudi and Kathak dance forms here due to the existence of a good

Muslim community here.In a world that is increasingly global nothing strikes a chord like music that provides someone with a taste of a different culture. It also helps to make sure that a wonderful talent and the community will always be able to create such beautiful pieces of Carnatic music that are prevalent in the region. The core language being Kannada. Local institutions and organisations keep Carnatic music and dance in the public eye by promoting it. These songs are generally stories that teach man about the cycle of life , death and

experiences, good or bad.

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religion

considering religion , secular is what channapatna is. there is a mutual coexistence of both Hinduism and islam in the town. A majority of artisans in the town are Muslims as the woodcraft art was started by emperor tipu Sultan who brought in families

from persia to practise this art. these families then stayed here and taught this art to one and all making the town popular for what it is today.today , there are a lot of Hindu artisans also involved in this art as they have been taught and it is being

practiced since a good hundred years now. people in channapatna coexist with each other with such beautiful understanding and take joy in celebrating Dussehra in as much as fervour as eid. they light up the town and get together and meet , because to them. they all belong to one religion and one profession. their profession and their undetermined grit and passion towards it is their one

and only religion.

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Pictures of mythological characters from kannada folklore and the mahabharata seen at Janpath Loka .9

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yahan par ladkiyon ko kaam nahi karne dete,hum attharah saal ke hain,do

saal ke baad nikah ho jaega to kaam nahi karne diya

jaega. they dont let women work here, i am eighteen, will get married in two years, they wont let me work thereaf-

ter

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Theres a little bit of glamour in everything !

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From housemaker to soul earner , women , from all walks of Channapatna.

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15

How to reach Channapatna ?

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WELCOME TO CHANNAPATNA

HOW TO REACH CHANNAPATNA Channapatna is located 60 kms to the South of Bangalore and hence is a popular weekend getaway from Bangalore.

Traveling from Bangalore to Channapatna is connected by more than one route.

Airport - Bangalore International Airport is the nearest airport from Channapatna that is about 60 kms.

Railway route - Channapatna is well con-nected to major railway stations within Karnataka state.

Bus route - KSRTC buses ply frequently be-tween the city and Bangalore/ Mysore.Road route - Road route is the only route to reach Channapatna. Start from Bangalore City and take Mysore Road cross Bangalore Rural. Buses and Cabs can be hired to reach here.

Accommodation - Private hotels, lodges and rest houses are available in and around the place.

ATTRACTIONS (Apart from the toymaking industries)Source : Mapmyindia.comBettada Timmappa Bettada Timmappa is just about 13 kms away from Channapatna city. This is a small town on the outskirts of the main city which is famous for the dolls from Karna-taka.

Kanva Maharshi Math And Brahmanya Theertha Brundavan Just 6 kms away from Channapatna, Kanva Maharshi Math and Brahmanya Theertha Brundavan are a sacred place of devotion for Hindus.

Doddamallur Aprameya Swami Temple India has innumerable temples dedicated to Lord Krishna and His various forms. Doddamallur Aprameya Swami Temple or Mallur Krishna Temple, at Doddamal-lur near Channapatna, is one such temple of Lord Krishna where He is called as Lord Aprameya.

Kengal Anjaneya Swami Temple Kengal Anjaneya Swami Temple is located in Vandaraguppe village near Channa-patna, Karnataka. The presiding deity of Anjaneya Swami in the temple is five-and-half-foot tall with a moustache on His face.

Igloor Barrage Igloor Barrage is on the way to Sante-mogenahalli and Akkooru, just 20 km away from the Channapatna City.

Kanva Reservoir Kanva Reservoir is an artificial lake and reservoir that has been formed because of the Kanva Dam built across the river Kan-va.Many tourists come here to enjoy on a lovely climate post monsoon and it is also the best time for bird watcher as lot of mi-gratory birds flock in here.

Kokkare Bellur bird sanctuary: Spot-billed Pelicans and Painted Storks from different countries fly here and live for few months

WHAT TO WEAR Some caution, precaution etc to take on visiting the place- You can wear anything you feel comfortable in while visiting the place. The weather is fairly pleasant like Bangalore. But it can get sunny in the af-ternoons. A visit during the monsoons can upset some your plans to explore the place.The Best time to visit is however around October December when the Dussehra festival is around.

DID YOU KNOW ?

A lot of women in Channapatna help their husbands or sons out with painting toys

or assembling toys . However , most of the women in Channapatna roll out beedis at

home while the men are away and hence serve as a helping hand to the income. More than 4000 women in the town are involved in this business of rolling beedis at home and then

neatly packaging it and selling it off to the local dealer.

17

When I bring to you colored toys, my child, I understand why there is such a play of colors on

clouds, on water, and why flowers are painted in tints

when I give colored toys to you, my child.

When I sing to make you dance I truly now why there is music in leaves,

and why waves send their chorus of voices to the heart of the listening earth

when I sing to make you dance.

When I bring sweet things to your greedy hands I know why there is honey in the cup of the flowers

and why fruits are secretly filled with sweet juicewhen I bring sweet things to your greedy hands.

When I bring to you , colored toys,my child

Rabindranath Tagore

h

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take me to thestreets of

channapatna

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A DAy in the life of ChAnnApAtnA

a journey through the streets and the lifes of the craftsmen , for their tales

to be told

Life is like a wheel, not philosophically and quite literally. A day in the life of a normal man , an artisan,an aged old amma , a housewife in Channapatna is nothing as exciting or breezy or looked upto as a day in the cities. They live to keep their art alive and broadcast it to the world. These are the people who work effortlessly without even bothering of the fruits. Every day in Channapatna is very similar to every other day in Channapatna such that it rotates and comes back to the same point like a wheel . But in this process what goes unnoticed is the progress and the technology gained by the town and the other is going forward and keeping it alive for the future generations to know what a Channapatna toy is.Small , sleepy and dedicated as the town is. The

town comes to life gradually by 8 am , with gradual chugging and puffing of many small scale units at areas. An average day of work for the woman in the household still starts with helping out her family in some sort of toymaking process about as early as dawn and then proceeding on to the household chores of cleaning around the place after sending off the family to school or work. We visited the area during the times of the Ramadan and hence found the that the working hours of the artisan were less and the artisan returned home at about five before the evening Azaan went off, to help the women with the aftaari.A lot of women in the daytime roll beedis out of the local dealers help to give in a helping hand to the households income. These women sit out in their verandahs while they watch their kids

playing and wait for their husbands to return and simultaneously neatly fold out beedis off it. The men on the other hand are usually involved in the toymaking industry in Channapatna or some sort of steel industry or silk units that are coming in settlement in and around Channapatna.At times of the peak season, even the woman help the men out in coloring the toys with bright radiant colors. It is amazing how humbled and calm these people are even though they do the same work every and every day , the monotony of work doesnt kill the art of Channnapatna - as every passing day is the same in terms of experiences but still very new in terms of learning.How passionate are these people and how lucky are these people to be doing what they love to do as a profession.21

In the ancient times, this is why dances of South India evolved and even the music made an important place in the hearts of the people. The day ends for the artisan at about ten after dinner and prepping for the following day at work.It takes immense grit and determination to do the very same thing again and over everyday when there is absolutely no support. Channapatna has its head up and has its pride on. Like it should be.Like a wheel is to progress , the town is to skill and development . With the amount of sweat and brow put into the art , the town is pushing itself hard and backing itself hard to stand up against the Chinese toys hoax. Everyday is a new lesson and to learn hidden joys in the art ,in the experiences is overwhelming.It teaches us. It teaches us that life will never stop taking us by surprises.

Most of the part of the day hence goes in work, leaving to account the night in Channapatna. We thought the town was an early sleeper however in mohallas like these the women sit and chit chat out in their respective verandahs or from their small chawl to chawl.There is no other source of entertainment for these women and families post evening and hence they sit out and interact with one another.A huge number of people in the mohalla love Salman and Shahrukh Khan as much as anybody would and love watching their movies when on television or at a nearby talkies. They however are not much into media and television more than movies - for most of the times at night, there is no electricity despite of owning a television.

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Two faces

23

ofChannapatna

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you Can Create a new toy every Hour of tHe day only if you Have tHe deter-mination and tHe will to take yourself

furtHer.mr. B venkatesH at katerPillar

industries

Paradigm Shift

Sad.Happy.Happy.SadDawn.Dusk.Dusk.DawnHeads.TailsTails.HeadHalf empty. Half full. The world runs on a couple of other such pairs that make it possible for things to coexist. All bad things come to an end and let the good prevail. Two faces. Channapatna is all about an artisans skill and talent. The craft has an age old legacy that has been passed on to make it popular. There are people whove made a well known enterprise , as well as there are people whore even struggling for two square meals. There is nothing good, nothing bad in craft. The craftsmen involved in the manufacture at Kalanagar and Katerpillar have braced themselves by opening new vistas into the current trend with drastic changes in their thinking and attitude by producing products according to present market demands. This change in attitude has not just given a stimulus and dividend to the craftsmen community, but this has changed the face with a new outlook to the entire toy town of Channapatna. These artisans turned entrepreneurs are making the town proud with exports and imports to far off countries in turnovers worth crores of rupees. Theyve all that theyve wanted from life. The core goal of these industries is to carry the legacy ahead and they have been successful. The availability of innate work on varieties of wood as per the clients choice, has given a new impetus to the toy town.The amazing growth and innovation that has been undertaken by these artists at Kalanagar in their small factories is commendable. But not all stories are as rosy as these.

}}

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Zameen kHareedni Hai. gHar kHareedna Hai. kaBHi ittney Paisey ikkatHey

Hi nai Ho Paate. i want to Buy land. i want to Buy a house. I havent had the luck to

ColleCt enougH money yet. - ilyas PasHa , masjid gali

}On visiting the craftsmen at Masjid Gali, a lot of unknown doors opened in front of our eyes. There are craftsmen being paid as meagre only 2 rupees a piece they chisel out of the softwood keeping all their eyes, health and well being at stake.With the launch of toxic Chinese toys in the market , the artisans are affected badly in the mohalla, what is heart rendering the fact they can do nothing about it despite of knowing the wrongs of the Chinese toys invasion in the market. It is touching how the craftsmen at Masjid Gali still dedicate all that they know to the art to make the best piece off toy possible for this is all they know. How difficult does it get when you dont derive the joy of working ? How difficult does it get for the craftsmen when they cant buy their children new dresses on Eid? The question still remains What has Channapatna got in store for us ? A bright innovative future and a legacy to be told or an age old endangered talent falling prey to toxic Chinese toys ?

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colorus that tell channapatnas unique tale of craft and culture

colours of handcrafted happiness

colorus that make a space in everynodys hearts

COLOURS OF WOOD

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The history of wood carving dates back to

earlier ages. Decoration of anything through wood dates back to the times of the Egyptians. Since the early man had

nothing else to adorn with in the earlier times , the very old human tendency of ornamenting things with wood came in existence. The first possible evidence found

of wood carving dates back to 4000 BC in Egypt , as the region used to be extremely dry and conducive to wood. Figurines in wood have been found and hieroglyphics , the traditional

Egyptian font were found in extremely delicate but fine wood work.Mummy cages and coffins were also a fine example of the earliest possible signs of wood carving. A figure carved in wood was not only more

difficult but also less satisfactory than marble, owing to the tendency of wood to crack, to be damaged by insects, or to suffer from changes in the atmosphere. The texture of the material, too, often proves challenging to the expression of features . In ancient work the surface may not have been of such consequence, for figures as a rule being painted

for protection and especially color.This art of wood carving was highly made popular all around the globe through different empires and dynasties hence and was extremely popular till the English discovered a better method. Emperor Tipu Sultan who

ruled over the Mahadesh that time hence brought in the finest and finest of craftsmen in the country from Persia to help him adorn his palace . They were the finest craftsmen of times with work so fine and extremely delicate. This art became popular during his reign and then was extended to all other items of interest , also extending towards toys. Hence we know of something today that became popular as Channapatna toys . Gradually and gradually with passing centuries and years carving started going out of fashion because for the

20th century , the method of manually chiseling every shave of wood was extremely slow and uselessly time taking.It also made the craft uselessly expensive and with the advent of machines and technologies pouring in, it started fading off. Machine work had much to answer for,

and the endeavor to popularize the craft by means of the village class has not always achieved its own end. The gradual disappearance of the

individual artists, elbowed out. This statement was proven untrue, as the continued survival of the art and craft of woodcarving can be demonstrated by the large number of woodcarvers who have carried on or advanced the tradition in different parts of Channapatna. Channapatna is the hub of wood carving and

craft industry and has worked extremely hard to build its name in the world. It also has a GI Geographical Indication to its name and that is enough to put it on the map.For nearly two centuries, this industry was mainly dependent on Doodi Ki Lakdi (ivory wood) and in rare cases, rosewood and sandalwood was used. Today, this art and the craftsmen have broadened the horizon into several varieties of wood - rubber wood, silver wood, fine wood, Nepal wood, sycamore wood, red cedar, pinewood and teakwood.Toys , mats and show pieces all carved delicately out of soft wood and made to look real with vibrant lac colours. These toys almost speak stories for themselves. Be it the very famous Russian Babushka doll or the age old game of Lattoo , the top that spins and the beautiful

spectrum of colors it spans bringing a smile to everyones face.The product range has spread its tentacles from traditional toys to producing articles meant for interior decoration, household utility articles, spice box, salt and pepper box, coaster

sets, coat hangers, key chains, mobile holders and an extended range of corporate gift items. There is hardly anything that one can imagine is not made of softwood right from educational toys and mathematical sets

to meaningless just for the fun bobbleheads. Channapatna is all about wood and the different colours of wood that have never been seen before. Colours that deserve to be shown to the world. Colours of

innovations. Colours of skill, glory and pride.

These are the Colours of Wood.

DID YOU KNOW ? There is a small village on the outskirts of Channapatna where if a person stands in front of a craftsman, the craftsman are so skilled

that they make quick live size portraits of the person out of a single piece of Wood.

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A very popular channapatna toy popularly known as the bobble head seen at Sri Beereshwara

crafts and emporium . The interesting thing about this toy is the aspect of feminity beautiful-ly merged with the innocence of a toy swaying per side is also

a toughful representation .

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Another popular toy seen at Sri beereshwara crafts and em-

porium . The beauty of this toy is a thoughtful woman figu-rine carved out of softwood and given life as a woman.

There is no life luckier than this,

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TOY MAKING PROCESS

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Mr. Navid at the Katerpillar factory painting toys with poster paint; extreme right; the colors used for finishing the product

35

Channapatna is only known to wood and its vibrant colours. These colours and natural pigments form the identities of these toys

that are famous. These colours add character to the toy and make the toy seen.Channapatna is home to not only handcrafted toys but also home made pigments and lac sticks. It is an example of immense per-severance and dutifulness towards ones work. Bringing to life a new story, A new character , A new life.

These Channapatna toys have vari-ous natural dyes such as turmeric, indigo , kanchikumkum mixed with lac to form a thin lac stick of natural pigment that is used to colour and coat the wooden piece Bringing to life a new story, A new character , A new life.

Apart from the natural dyes and pigments used , a lot of toys are handpainted using poster colours to hence form fine designs on it and make innovative toys.

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The craft of toymaking and wood carving is unique and carries a tale of culture. It takes a bag of nerves , concentration and immense skill to pursue this craft.For a craftsman , the wood is like the Gita. A craftsman carries out the work process on the wood with full perseverance and dexterity. The toy making process is an organized set process which starts from sourcing the wood at the first step.

Channapatna toys are made from Ivory wood or popularly called Hale-mara or doodhi wood. This wood is sourced from as far as Ooty , Coimbatore at cheaper rates to the local market in channapatna from where it is sent to the Channapatna crafts park where the wood is cleaned and cut with the help of a mechanical saw machine and the machine is used to cut wood of desired shapes from wooden logs. This wood is then passed on to the local dealers in Channapatna who supply rosewood ,teakwood , softwood and more. Some of the artisans and the micro entrepreneurs that run these working units buy these wood pieces from the markets at standard wholesale prices and stock up kilos of wood in their godowns and factories. It is very important for any piece of lathed wood to be seasoned well before it is used or else due to the functional properties of the wood , the wood starts cracking up. A lot of artisans in Channapatna are still using traditional toy making machinery without any power as there are parts of the taluka that still have no electricity and there are artisans who hardly have any finance for the belt and motor toy machinery. The motor machinery used now a days is very efficient and saves a lot of time hence. The piece of wood required is sheared with the help of a mallet and a saw and measured as per the requirements and designs with a Vernier callipers tool to the exact measurement and then only is it set to the turning tool.

As mentioned earlier , there are primarily two methods that the craftsmen in Channapatna follow to make a toypiece .The resourceful and the trained craftsmen generally follow this method :

A piece of cut and seasoned softwood is fixed in the turning knob of the machine that rotates with a lathe at a fixed speed and it attached to a belt and then to the motor.This piece of wood can be easily manipulated further in the masthead with the help of various equipments such as chisels, angles and compasses.

A number of other instruments such as chipping knifes , carving knifes are used to measure , create the desired shape of the toy and while it is rotating in the masthead. The undesired part is removed while it is rotating and only the wanted part is further kept .It is shaped with the utmost concentration and dexterity , for one mistake and the shape of the toy desired can be destroyed.

After the craftsman is done with shaping , pruning and carving the wood, then it is smoothened with the help of a sand paper and given even more definite shape as per the movements of the hand , so that is becomes smooth and looks like a finished piece. Npw the only step left is to colour the toy.

The toys are colored using vegetable dyes which are mixed with lac and heated to create a stick of lac . This stick of lac is created using various vegetable dyes and colors such as indigo, turmeric, kanchi kum kum and more.

The color is derived of the vegetable dyes. When the lac stick is pressed to the shaped piece of wood that is rotating on the lathe , the lac stick melts due to the friction created between the piece of wood and it gradually starts covering the toy as it rotates . The sand paper is used to coat the color evenly on the toy as it rotates . When the toy is fully covered with lac , it is ready to be taken off from the lathe. The amazing part about lacquer coating however is that it takes no time to dry. It happens instantly as it melts and it smoothened on the toy with the rotation.The other method is the traditional manual method. There is no motor attached to the machine here. There is a small knob that works as a masthead and a bow that is used to chisel off the unwanted part of the wood to get the desired shape. The rest of the process is the same in the toymaking. The manual method however restricts the creativity of the craftsman, takes more time and also requires more energy and hence it is not so efficient. However , there are still a lot of artisans that make money out of manual method , like the settlement at Neelasandra where they make beads on hand made machines and colour it to make mats or just supply the beads to bigger units and warehouses in Channapatna.

After the toys are made and colored with dyes , they are then sent off for quality check in bigger companies. These companies check the orthographic and geometric drawings as per the planned design of the toy . These are then rejected or selected according to the quality of the product made. If rejected these companies sell them off at smaller rates. These toys are checked on many criteria consistency of color, shape, size , measurements , and toxicity and friendliness with the consumer.With all the quality checks done , the toys is then sent to be assembled where it is put together with different pieces to make a full toy. Even during the assembling process , another round of quality check is done on the assembling and the rejected pieces are taken outIt is very important for any organization to market its product after the production is complete , hence marketing and branding of the product plays a vital role in the completion of the toy making process. What kind of a product is it ?

What should be the image of the product? How costly should it be? All these factors are taken into consideration for branding and marketing of the product designed. Lastly , before the product hits the racks or goes on sale, the most important aspect is packaging of the product. The packaging changes the entire look of the product and may sometimes also play a vital role in the consumer purchase decision.A lot of companies are hence paying a lot of attention to innovative packaging methods and trying to attract consumers with such marketing and creating a place in the minds of the consumers.

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did you know?

the increase in the prices of lac have shot up instantly overnight . it initially used to be rs 200 - 250 per hundred grams and how have shot upto rs 1250 making life difficult for most of the craftsmen .

they are henced forced to incur cost cuts,.

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Different cuts of wood ready to use (as seen in the picture)39

A toy coming to life40

The story of a piece of toy readied , all set to be assembled41

Celebratory toys on teh occasion of rathyatra being made at Sri beereshwara crafts and emporium

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C A S E S T U D I E S

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MAYA ORGANIC is a systemic initiative to address livelihood issues of the working poor through an institutional approach that focusses on organising the informal sector

workforce into worker owned enterprises.It perceives poverty not only as not having enough but most importantly as not being able to respond with what one has. Over many years of working with microentrepreneurships and such livelihood issues, Maya is an immense support and help to such people and also worked toward the well being of the society and in the process learn to build and succeed as an enterprise by developing the required

skills and capabilities.Maya also partners with markets and develops designs for products and services so that the

efforts of the worker-owned enterprises are

dovetailed with professional inputs, backed with contemporary and relevant designs and

market approaches.The past few years have seen a steady decline in the lacquerware industry caused by various factors that include a lack of investment in the industry, lack of initiative and skill to introduce new products/designs, poor quality products & raw material, etc leading to a decline in demand of products and therefore static markets and low returns for the artisans. A critical impact of this has been on the employment and livelihood of the craftsmen

This is why Maya organic started its work in the lacquerware section and the toymaking industry so as to provide people with steady support on their livelihood with better services

as an enterprise.

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MAYA ORGANIC is probably the only enter-prise in Channapatna that has employed young girls and women in this industry after a good skilled training provided to them , hence they have been working as a helping hand than only sitting at home and cook-ing or cleaning around the house , getting all set for marriage. Maya over the last 20 months, has initiated processes to organise artisans into collectives. There are presently 60 such artisans working in groups of 10-12, to execute orders Simultaneously, MAYA ORGANIC has initi-ated efforts to create a niche market for a new brand of wooden educational toys called MO_Toys . Marketing over 50 such toys for the 0-5 yrs age group, this brand has begun to develop a visible market pres-ence due to its strong emphasis on safety, quality and the use of natural vegetable dyes. Maya also has a showroom in Jay-anagar in Bangalore for retailing in Banga-lore markets.

Participation in exhibitions and fairs in other states and abroad has also been an effec-tive channel in establishing a market pres-ence. Through a process of test marketing and initial market responses.MAYA ORGAN-IC has become a key partner, ensuring social compliance demanded by interna-tional buyers abroad. For instance, compa-nies such as GAP, H&M, etc have, declared MAYA ORGANIC as their main partner through which hand embroidery has to be produced here in South India.

MAYA ORGANIC Designs are made keeping in mind not only existing skills of workers but also current and emerging market needs, to cater to the interests of the end-consumer. Childrens products, for instance, are designed with an eye for ensuring safety. The attention to design extends beyond products and services to also include the packaging of the prod-uctsMaya Organics unlike all the other enter-prises provides a team of designers to the artisans to design , innovate and create new and latest designs as per the fore-casts and hence are able to predict their profits. Maya organics has a very interest-ing set of packaging and branding for the toys of every category as suggested by their team of designers in Bangalore.

(with inputs from Mayaorganics.com)

Nam ulpa dolora cus, qui rescimus earcit et molorib eribeaquam, te volenem eumqui dolorpo rioriatio

bea doluptaspiti ommolor itatem at

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Left ; Nasreen Aapa at MAYA Organics, above and right; Various packaging of relevant products

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Young woman worker at MAYA Organics chiseling a toy on their mastheads.

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Toys are the greatest inspiration. Simple yet great.

We never really grow up. Were all the same, we get bigger and transform into adult bodies, but we really want to continue playing with

them.

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Katerpillar industries and works is one of the larger companies to deal with toymaking in Channapatna. Known for its innovative design and new toys discovered in the past few years. Kat-erpillar industries is a brainchild of Mr. B venkatesh , who inherited the skill and craft of toymaking from his father and set up his very own factory call Sri Beereshwara Arts and Craft Works

With time It then evolved to what is famous today as Katerpillar Toy indus-tries.Katerpillar represents the joy of colorful childhood, its playfulness and its yearning to grow up into high spir-ited butterflies. This indigenous craft is about a generation old at Katerpillar and is practiced through generations. The unique thing about Katerpillar is the innovative and one of a kind de-signs displayed at the store and the new designs and toys introduced to the world. At Sri Beereshwara Arts and Crafts the cut wood is properly seasoned and left

for about six months to be readied and then chiseled out to make beautiful toys .There are about 15-20 craftsmen that work at Sri Beereshwara Crafts to make the toys and then supply it to their em-porium near Kadambam hotel in Chan-napatna itself. They have also played in the international market with unique exports and trade sent to countries such as the USA, UK and France. They believe in innovating and hence they make toys on demand as well. At Kat-erpillar industries , the name lives up to its liveliness with people working on the belted big machines and painting toys with poster paint or the very expensive lacquer paint giving them very shiny , beautiful colors. They keep in mind the sentiments of the customers and only design things that are popular. They however dont believe in innovative de-sign , they believe in innovation though . but they replicate a design only when it spreads.

KAterp illAr

mai bachpan se hi humaara father ko dekh kar toys banana chahta tha. maine isiliye ye kiya , kyunki pasand tha.

i always wanted to make toys when i saw my father make themwhich is why i started doing this because i liked it.

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Mr. B Venkatesh the owner of Katerpillar Industries

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The corporate branding and export packaging of exclusive products at Katerpillar55

NEELASANDRA

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NEELASANDRA

Neelasandra is almost the poor cousin of Kalanagar or the top-most working units in Channapatna like Maya Organics. Neela-sandra is located on the outskirts of Channapatna and is very famous for its bead making and bead production. Neelasandra is known for the supply of beads to in and around Channapatna.Most of them go to Mr. Mushtaque at Madina Chowk from whereon he makes a sale in the market. These artisans makes hundred and hundreds of beads everyday and supply it to com-panies like Maya Organics and Katerpillar or Sabeel Khan Handi-crafts where they make products out of it and gain huge profits. The amusing thing about Neelasandra is the hand machine through which beads are made. Neelasandra is prey to load-shedding about 8-9 hours a day which leaves only the hours at night with power. Due to the lack of power in the settlement , a lot of people use hand machines to make beads.

We also want to use motor machines and produce toys faster,as if the issue of income wasnt less we have power issues to

cope up with . We get power only six to seven hours - that being at the time of the night.

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Mr. Murlidhar the panchayat development officer at Neelasandra

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we asked a couple of children who showed us around whaT THEY WANTED TO BECOME WHEN THEY GROW UP. AN ARRAY OF REPLIES FROM - "AADMI BANUNGA ( I WANT TO BECOME A MAN) TO A LITTLE GIRL DREAMING OF A MISS INDIA CROWN. ASPIRING POLICE OFFICERS, PILOTS,DOCTORS, ENGINEERS ARE SEEN A LOT. MET A LOT. WHAT THE TOWN NEEDS IS SOMEBODY TO CARRY THE AGE

OLD LEGACY FORWARD.

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f e

g i

j

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artisians profILe

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/kausarpashamicro-entrepreneurchannapatna

hamara toh kya hai , hum khilona pehle bhi banate the ab bhi banate hai aur banate bhi

rahenge hi.

(We dont know anything other than this, we used to make toys earlier , we do it now and

will continue to do it further.)

on being asked , aap kya kaam karte hain painting, marketing, concept? he replied, hum karigar log hain . sab kaam karte hain . all rounder hai. sab hi kaam karna padta hai

tabhi craft hota hai. (We are artisans. We do everything. all

rounders we are. if its a craft we have to do everything, then only is it a craft.)

kausar pasha

mr. kauser pasha at the masjid gali mohalla is any normal craftsmans dream come alive. he has a small factory set up in the murky narrow streets of the masjid gali. mr. pasha is the forerunner of making educational toys and mathematical toys in the masjid gali mohalla. pashas factory is such that every piece is handcrafted and checked unlike the other factories and working units and the rejected pieces are kept aside.

mr pashas tentacles of toys spread to mathematical protratctor sets and human body sets, ring games for toddlers and shape fitters to learn.

pashas factory is such that it is not only making toys and bringing smiles to the faces of many many children but also making an effort to educate them and teach them things in a fun method. he supplies his pieces to a number of schools and playgroups in bangalore and is one of the most successful entrepreneurs of the grim neighbourhood of masjid gali where most of the artisans are even finding it hard to meet with two square meals for their famiies.mr pasha supplies to stores in bangalore and has a goood network of trade and exports throughout the country, he has set up stalls at various exhibitions and fairs across the country.mr pasha also has exports with a company in san francisco called indigo tree. he has about 25 people to support him on the production and help him out with the bulk orders.

mr. pasha showed us a lot of sample of his toys, of beautiful handcrafted merry go rounds and giant wheels and of the jars and jars filled with edible dyes that he even sells in the markets to make profits.

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Educational toys seen at Mr. Pashas home turned office; centre; jars of natural dyes

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A tag of one of the companies to which Mr. Pasha supplies toys; centre; an educational toy made out of a fruit chart

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/mohammedsamiullah

skilled artisian Who earns less

masjid gali, channapatna

mohammed samiullah

kaam kare toh bhi taqleef humko hi hai, kaam nai kare tab bhi taqleef hum hi ko.

(if we work, we only suffer,if we dont, we still suffer)

kamaayi nai badhi bas , lakdi aur laakh ka daam badh gaya , kharcha badh gaya (our earnings did not increase, how-ever the rates of wood and lacquer increased,expenditure has increased.)

when we were walking through the streets of the masjid mohalla , we came across this one old man and artisan , mohammed samiullah. his story is the truth untold. his story is the story of thousands of other artisans across the town but they prefer to drown their voices in the noise of the machines. mohammad bhai goes on to narrate the story of how he started off as a young kid to pursue his dream of making toys for everyone and making all around him happy. he started off at an early age of seventeen with a working unit. he now has two sons to spare , one who has been sent off to bangalore to working in a steel industry whereas the other son helps him out with the toy making. samibhai went on to tell the tale of his growing up in the art, doing something for it , working with his father in now with the advent of Chinese toys in the market . on being asked , sami saab , aapka woh ghar kahan hai ? he looks up teary eyed and

points with a heavy nod at the house downroad standing tall , right in front of his kachhcha rented place. sami saab introduces us to his son and his wife and invites us inside. he takes some dry sticks amidst two heavy pieces of stones , lights a fire and starts mixing vegetable dyes and lac together to form a sticky resinous candy like structure. he continues mixing it till it properly melts and keeps mixing it till it forms a long stick of pigment to be applied on the toys. he however has no helping hand in the wok than his son. there are no possible good schemes from the government for such craftsman. he says that in a country like india where craft is so diverse and prevalent, the government must help. he tells how the dealer he supplies his toys to gives him a meagre payment of only 11 rupees apiece whereas sells it at a profit of about two hundred percent.he has a lot of problems because of working but he has no other option. the torture and the blackmail of the middlemen and how there are no payments for the raw material , samiullahs story is touching . mohammad samiullah puts us to think as to how difficult it is for an artisan to cope up with the systems and the middlemen , and with no support from the government the rich are becoming richer and the poor, poorer.

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educational

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/samiullahpashaself taught artsian yet satisfiedmasjid gali , channapatna

humko jitna milta hai utna theek se hojata hai. abhi koi dikkat nai hai , aainda ko

hoyengi

hamare bachcho ke liye , toymaking me koi faayda nai hai. pehle acha hua karta tha ,

ab humare bachche bade hoke kuch achcha kaam karenge.

(my kids have no benefits out of toymaking. there used to be, earlier. now my kids will grow old and do something respectable.)

samiullah pasha

downroad masjid gali , we find this man working with constant dexterity on his machine, undeterred by the camera, undeterred by the noise, undeterred by everything and all he knows is that one toy that he is chiseling out finely off the masthead fixed in the machine.he then looks up and tells us he is samiullah. he has been working for a small time unit chiseling toys since fifteen years now. he is a polite man who lets us inside his factory and asks us how this would help him . on giving him the assurance , he starts to tell his story putting his work aside for some time and tell how he started this work at an early age. he never wanted to do this, he wanted to become a professional but since there was no other option left , he taught humself this art merely by seeing others .

he says this art was not pushtaini in him , there was no time or money to go to a training institute and train oneself.samiullah pasha however is a content man with whatever he gets , he has three people dependant on him in his family and he works hard and is able to earn about ten thousand a month and make ends meet somehow. he wants his children to grow up to become doctors and engineers and doesnt want them to even know about toymaking when they grow up. sami bhai stresses upon the fact how he works nine hours a day or even more to gather a good sum , he faces no problem now howsoever but with the increase in the prices of wood, lac and dyes , there may be a problem in the near future . apart from working on the machine , he also works at home to add to his income. he says that in times of dussehra when the season is at its peak , he earns even about fourteen fifteen thousand a month.the story of a man who lives and works because allah has made him to samiullah pasha is somewhere like all those artisans who hide their voices in the machines. the only silver lining however is that he earns a decent amount comparatively for the skill he has.

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/bvenkatesh

oWner katerpillar toyspursuing his dream of

making toyskovempunagara,channapatna

b venkatesh

it is foolish how the government says dont do child labour, teaching the children an art for keeping it alive is not child labour. it will only make this art bigger and more

explorable. all children here must be taught toymaking

mr venkatesh says , yeh jo lakdi hai uska advantage yeh hai ki yeh kisi aur kaam ka nai hai, isiliye isse toys banane me acha rehta.

(the advantage of having this wood is that it is no other use than this use, so it is always

better to make toys with this wood.)

mr.b Venkatesh at katerpillar industries has a story to tel. a story of pursuing his dream as a chld to be a toymaker when he saw his father make toys. a child is fascinated by merely the sight of toy and at an age so tender, he didnt know the pros and cons of it. at an early age of ten , his father taught him this valued art and he went on it fulfill his dream of making toys as a child.mr. b Venkateshs story is almost a fairy tale story in its being. after some twenty years of struggle as an artisan , his secondary school and then set into the industry and struggled hard. the interesting thing about this toy company is that they innovate and design newer toys only to suit the markets demands. this emporium is known for a couple of signature toys that were invented by them only. he now deals in other handicrafts too and hence gets some of the goods and products from rajasthan , mp and so on and with this product mix, he puts up a stall at the exhibitions

mr Venkatesh now ons sri beereshwara arts and Crafts emporium which works under katerpillar enterprises which is now one of the largest retailers and marketers in Channapatna.his dream almost came to life and has set an example for everybody. mr Venkatesh has now been in the industry for over twenty five years as sri beereshwara Crafts was set up in a small factory in a house in 1975. it all started with a small dream as a child . he studied upto his secondary school and then set into the industry and struggled hard. the interesting thing about this toy company is that they innovate and design newer toys only to suit the markets demands. this emporium is known for a couple of signature toys that were invented by them only. he now deals in other handicrafts too and hence gets some of the goods and products from rajasthan , mp and so on and with this product mix, he puts up a stall at the exhibitions or fairs . he has an organized team of 15 people working under him for production, 10 people working on the assembling of the product and there are about 3 people working on the marketing of the company.

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Terracotta jewellery , hand crafted and painted , on sale at KWaterpilar toys

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Workers in action. On the lathe machine and quality check as seen in the picture

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Manual machine of carving of beads through wood

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Two little boys Had two little toys,

Each had a wooden horse; Gaily they played

Each summers day - Warriors both of course.

One little chap Then had a mishap,

Broke off his horses head; Cried for his toy, Then cried for joy

As his young playmate said:

Did you think I would leave you crying When theres room on my horse for two? Climb up here, Jack. well soon be flying;

I can go just as fast with two. When we grow up well both be soldiers,

And our horses will not be toys; And I wonder if well remember When we were two little boys.

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AROUND THE GLOBE

Channapatna has a geographical Indication to its credit for the valued tale of craft and culture it has to its name. There are many industries and working units that make toys and have been successful to create international linkages and make huge exports to countries like the US, UK , Spain, France , Japan, Singapore respectively.Companies like Microsoft have also invested their money in the toy Industry . Companies like Earthtree that is functional from Kirkland in The United States of America get their pieces of Choo Choo trains and bobbleheads exported from Katerpillar Industries in India. Indigotree is another organization in the United stated that receives exports from Pashas . Channapatna has proved its mettle that it has been put on the globe for some strong reasons hence.

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Poetry in wood

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Busae non ellaut alitatu repero mint quis eiusam derum dest, om-

nis sero eaqui voluptae. Umqui con nim qui res nonse voluptaqui

ut quiatur sumetureniet alia pos nonsequi volorio. Minciur aditem

adis etur, santibus, quis nosam res earum u

TOOlS ANd MACHINERY

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Channapatna still uses traditional machinery and tools in terms of production equipments. The artisans have the

overhead belt drivers that are driven by a small motor and one end of the belt drive converts the vertical motion into horizon-tal circular motion. This belt enables the continuous rotation of lathe.The artisans are trained to work on the respective

machines to frame and make the product. The machines work on high power and voltage and are extremely dangerous if

gone wrong.

A mechanized Jigsaw machine is used to cut the wood into desired shapes from wooden logs.The piece of wood is

measured with a Verniers callipers and then the sheared wood piece is fit into the masthead for the surface to be manipulated further.The artisans use various measuring equipments such as a compass, angles, planes and a wide variety of other

such instruments.

-acarvingknife:aspecializedknifeusedtopare,cut, and smooth wood.

-agouge:atoolwithacurvedcuttingedgeusedin a variety of forms and sizes for carving hollows, rounds and

sweeping curves. -acopingsaw,asmallsawthatisusedtocutoff

chunks of wood at once. -achisel,largeandsmall,whosestraightcutting

edge is used for lines and cleaning up flat surfaces. -aV-toolusedforparting,andincertainclassesof

flat work for emphasizing lines. -aveiner:aspecializeddeepgougewithaU

shaped cutting edge. Asharpeningequipment,suchasvariousstones

and a strop, necessary for maintaining edges.

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For chipping they use a number of files and chisels of different shapes and sizes.

Coloring is done using vegetable dyes mixed with lac that is imported from West Bengal or Bihar while the wooden

block is still rotating on the lathe. The colours are made with natural vegetable dyes like indigo for blue, turmeric for yellow, katakata for brown and annatto seeds for red.The lacquer is made from the resin of the tree called Rhus Verniciflua, which produces a very hard and durable finish and is resistant to water, acid, alkali.Friction between the work piece and lac

sticks on the lathe melts the color smoothly over the work piece

Apart from the mechanized or hand machines they use a number of other tools to manipulate the surface of the toys,

such as a drilling machine is used to drill holes in certain toys, a chisel is used to develop grooves and create curves on the surface, the vegetable dyes are used to impart eye catching and bright colours to the toys to make them attractive for the

buyers and visitors who visit the village.

Moreover there is a wide range of files of different shapes and sizes used to further manipulate the surface by creating other innovative designs on the toys. They make it a point to spread colour uniformly on the toy so that it doesnt look bad or defec-tive. When the toy is rotating on the lathe , the dye-lac mixture is put on it and made even with the help of a cloth or a sand

paper to make the toy look like a finished piece

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Apart from this, there are a number of machines which are used for wood foaming , wood latheing (the overview of the

lathe machine used for turning process ) and cutting available at the Channapatna crafts park from where the raw material

wood is supplied to the industries and small working units after which it is seasoned, put to use and properly chiseled.

educational

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SOLUTIONS

Channapatna is one of those places in India that preserves the already tarnished Indian heritage and art of the remote years .It is

a legacy that deserves to be carried on further and hence we must do something for this. The government of India should come up with enough shemes for the upliftment of this town and also do something to preserve

this dying at and reinstore the faith of the artisans whove dedicated their lives to this art.These wooden toys have the potential to be a major product for the economic boom in this country. We need schemes that ban Chinese products that are ambushing the market for authentic handcrafted wooden Channapatna toys.Also , Channapatna, Being close to big cities like Bangalore and Mysore , has an immediate huge market to consume this highly valued art and with a little effort we can not only rejuvenate this dying art but also create a new image and a little nostalgia in the minds of the people. After all , at some or

the other point of the childhood, everybodys tottled with a Channapatna toy. The craft is based on eco friendly vegetable dyes and product

bases and pigments and the classic mechanism has now been augmented with the modern machinery that provides more

credibility to the products for the market. Channapatna has a lot to offer. A lot.

Were just not aware of it.

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89

When we did go to Channapatna , we were unaware , nave and took art and craft lightly. We came from a world of beat boxing and Eminem and hunky dory Pitbull. The farthest we could think of art was getting things done for the sake of scoring an impressive pointer or getting our favorite verse tattooed on the forearm. On seeing these lives etched in art, breathing art and

living by it was not only inspiring but the biggest learning experience of time. These toys have been around since remotest of years. These toys were around when we grew up. These toys will be around when our kids grow up as well. Channapatna is not just a tale of craft and culture, it is a connoisseur of happiness and innocence to the children. Most of us where taken by

surprise when we saw our very favorite Lattoo on sale at most of the emporiums we visited. Screams of delight and laughter passed of saying Arre main naa bachpan me issey khelti thi (Oh , I used to play with this as a child) and everyone agreed in glee , Main Bhi (Me too.) Channapatna is a symbol of perseverance and dexterity. The amount of thought that goes behind every toy and the design implementation that goes in every piece is plain simple amazing. This town is a boon for our economy and it deserves to be heard . . The simple and beautiful lives

of just regular people and their very close families, simply being close, made it all the while worth it to be there and remember such an experience. We came across a lot of stories , a lot of experiences that taught us about this age old art and also heart rendering stories. Stories that melt the heart , stories that inspire us to live and stories of people that are heroes. Heroes

unsung. For art. For a lifetime.

Respect.

Team Speak

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glos

salemaraHalemara ( pronounced as Haal-e maara ) It is a type of wood , a softwood that is used for making Channapatna toys . It is also known as Ivory wood.

aryaftaariThe evening feast that the Muslims have after opening their rozas.

Halditurmeric . An Indian spice that is yellow in colour . It is also used as a natural pigment in dyeing.

kanCHikumkumA red colored dye that is used in the Indian culture to put tikas on the forehead as it is auspicious.

tiCe maCHinepronounced as Taa-ee-s) An english name tampered in Kan-nada to become Tice from Toys.

HieroglyPHs(pronounced as Hi-ro-glee-fix) Ancient Egyptian pictorial typeface

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doodHimaraSame as Alemara. Another local name for softwood which is used to make toys

ammaMother , Woman . Form of respect in Kannada

PusHtainiAcquired / inherited from the ancestors or any distant or related family.

roZaA fast kept by the Muslims in name of Allah during the holy month of Ramadan

laCA resinous secretion let out from the lac insect and is used in making pigments . It is very hard and durable.

vernier CalliPersAn instrument used in length measurements to gain additional accuracy.

daayracircumference

moHallaA friendly sub division of an area or a neighbourhood.

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REFERENCES (Major portion of data collected is primary )

introduction to Channapatna toys , http://www.dsource.in/resource/channapatna-toys/index.html

Wood carving across the globe , http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_wood_carvingChiseling and wood carving , http://www.colonialfurniture.us/history/history-colonial-

furniture-3.htmMaya organics and livlyhood initiative http://mayaorganic.com/concept.htm

Arts and crafts of india http://www.aiacaonline.org/ History of the settlement , http://www.hoparoundindia.com/karnataka/history-of-

channapatna.aspxCrafts in Karnataka , MP Ranjan , Aditi Ranjan, E Book.

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