SOUTH INDIAN TOYS

SOUTH INDIAN TOYS

South Indian culture is the culture of the group of South Indian states. Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, and Telangana. South Indian culture, though with its visible differences, forms an important part of the Indian culture.

South India is famous for spices and Gold since the ancient period and they are also famous for festivals and celebrations that are connected with temples, the supremacy of architecture lies in their shikaras of temple
These temple sculptures paved the way to make different toys. South Indian states have a unique style of making toys, mostly they used mud and wood for making toys. etikoppaka, channapatna, Nirmal, Marrapachhi bommai, and Tanjur thalayati bommai serve as good examples for the variety of toys made and are popular worldwide.

Traditional toys of Tamil Nadu
Tanjaur thalayati bommai

Thanjavur doll is a traditional handicraft of the Thanjavur region of Chennai, Tamil Nadu. It is a type of handmade doll that is made using traditional methods using very less mechanical tools. A special feature which differentiates this doll from others is its bobblehead and roly-poly structure. Doll’s head is larger than its body, hence it moves like a pendulum and does no fall sideways.

• Thanjavur doll are basically made using terracotta and are purely handmade and hand painted by skilled artists. The dolls and toys are given multiple shapes, sizes, colors, and styles by these artists to represent various traditional dance forms like Bharatanatyam, Kathakali, and Manipuri, etc. There are 4 different partss of the doll which gives them their unique movement: legs, head, upper body, and lower body.
• Local people of Thanjavur call it “Thanjavur Thalaiyatti Bommai” in Tamil which means bobblehead dolls or head-shaking dolls. It is an ancient art of the 19th century during the regime of Saraboji’s Kingdom.
• Thanjavur dolls are in very high demand during the Navratri season in South India as it represent the Hindu Indian culture. It is also in very high demand from foreign countries due to its unique features and appearance. Thanjavur dolls were added to the Geographical Indications of India by the Government of India in 2008. 

MARAPACHI BOMMAI

• Marapachi Dolls, also known as Marapachi Bommais (literal meaning: “wooden dolls”), are traditional dolls made specifically of red sandalwood or silk-cotton-wood or redwood which are displayed during the Golu festival in South India as part of Dassara or Navaratri celebrations.
•  These dolls made in pairs generally of male and female are dressed up by children as part of plaything and displayed during the Golu or “Bommai Kolu” festival. Tirupathi is one of the locations where it is specially ornament ally carved, and the dolls are stated to represent Venkateshwara and his consort. They are also made in Kondapalli as Raja-Rani (King and Queen) dolls which are a compulsory display during the Golu festival. As a tradition Marapachi dolls are a hereditary gift from mother to daughter when the latter starts her Bommai Kolu arrangement.
•  A particular practice followed in South India is to gift the Marapachi Dolls to a newly married couples for their children to play with. The significance of this particular gift made of Marapachi doll in red sandal wood is stated to be the medicinal quality of the wood. When a child licks this plaything made of red sandalwood, the child’s Saliva derives an extract of the wood which the child absorbs into its system.
• During the Golu festival, which is held in South India, as part of Navratri festival, particularly in the states of Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, and Tamil Nadu, the Marapachi dolls are part of the display; 
• the displays are arranged in an odd number of tiers or steps of 3, 5, 7, 9, or 11, but generally in nine steps. 
• In the traditional arrangement, the top tier is assigned for the display of Marapachi Dolls.

TOYS OF KERALA

• Traditionally, coconut palm leaves are used in making a wide range of toys & are the most popular toys played with and are made at homes itself
• Coir is used in making eco-friendly toys & Coconut shell products are used to make animal-shaped toys
• Woodcraft is another famous craft item of Kerala
• Lacquer Ware, the craft combining metal and wood, is a favorite among tourists. A wide variety of lacquer products are produced in Kerala, especially in the Ernakulam district
• Leather is used to make puppets for Tholpavakoothu (shadow puppetry)

WONDERLAND OF TOYS KARNATAKA
CHANNAPATNA TOYS

Wonderland

• The human mind is an amazing wonderland of creativity and a hub of imagination, where wooden toys get souls and shapes.
• The beautiful old memories which tell old stories of our tradition and culture to our community now many cities in India have become toys wonderland one such place is channapatna
• Channapattana is a city and taluk headquarters in Ramanagara District, Karnataka, India situated at a distance of about 60kms from Bangalore is noted for its famous handmade lacquer wooden toys all over the world and hence popularly known as “Gombegala Ooru” or the “Toy-City” of Karnataka.
• Channapatna toys are made from natural products like wood and natural vegetable dyes. Manufactured in Channapatna, in the Ramnagara district of Karnataka, these toys are a result of a 200-year-old craft. 
• Channapatna is known as the Gombegala Ooru (toy-town) of Karnataka.  Traditionally, the work involved lacquering the wood of the Wrightia tinctoria tree, colloquially called Aale mara (ivory wood).
• Lacquered toys are mentioned in the vachanas of Basavanna during the 11th-12th century CE in Karnataka,  although the use of Lac (lacquer resin) for a wood finish, cosmetics, toys, bangles, and dye began much earlier in ancient India.
•   Bavas Miyan helped renew Channapatana toys during a period of decline, by adopting Japanese technology for toy making and helping local artisans improve their art. 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.

TOYS OF ANDHRA PRADESH AND TELANGANA

Etikoppaka bommalu

ETIKOPPAKA BOMMALU

The toys come in a variety of traditional forms, such as a farmer holding a nagali, a bridal set, a veena, sannai melam, a spread of wedding delicacies, and more. Although historically these toys have been handmade, the artisans now use automation. We used to make between Rs 200 and Rs 500 during the off-season, with the maximum going up to Rs 600 every day, according to the artist and well-known miniature maker Chinnaya Chari.

 Kondapalli Koyya Bommalu

• In the Bommala Colony in Kondapalli, a small town in Krishna District, Andhra Pradesh, these toys are made by hand using Tella Poniki, a soft wood found in the Kondapalli forest. The most famous ones depict village life, mythological figures, and the ‘dancing dolls’. Price begins at Rs 50 and could go up to thousands. Kondapalli Toys are toys made of wood.
•  In Kondapalli of Krishna district, a nearby Vijayawada in the Indian state of Andhra Pradesh. Bommala Colony translates to Toys Colony in Kondapalli is the place where the art of crafting takes place. 
•  It was registered as one of the geographical indication handicrafts from Andhra Pradesh as per the Geographical Indications of Goods (Registration and Protection) Act, 1999.  These toys were one of the varieties of toys assembled in the houses during the festivals of Sankranti and Navratri and is referred to as Bommala Koluvu.
• The art of crafting is a 400-year-old tradition. The artisans who make the toys are referred to as Aryakhastriyas (also known as Nakarshalu), who have their mention in the Brahmanda Purana. They are said to have migrated from Rajasthan in the 16th century to Kondappali and claim their origin to Muktharishi, a sage endowed with skills in arts and crafts by Lord Shiva

 NIRMAL TOYS

The term Nirmal Craft is derived from one of the most well-known kings of the 17th century, Nimma Naidu, who was a great supporter of the arts. He fostered the toy-making industry, which flourished under his rule and brought prominence to the town of Nirmal in the current state of Telangana, after admiring the beautiful craftsmanship and detailing of the toys.

Nirmal craft has been around since the Kakatiya era, and according to historical records, the softwood toys, lovely paintings, and furniture are 400 years old. The foundries created here provided the army of the Nizam of the former Hyderabad state with essential armaments (such as war cannons), while the Naqqash craftsmen offered their own talent in the shape of wooden toys. One of the numerous factors contributing to the popularity of this art is the patronage of Hyderabad's Nizam. The town of Nirmal's excellent geographic positioning, which links the North and Central regions of India with the South, has helped it establish a strong presence in both domestic and international handicraft markets.

According to legend, this skill was brought to this area around the 17th century by the Naqqash people from Rajasthan. These toys are made mostly from three materials: wood, color, and lye. These toys are made by the Naqqash artists using locally obtained softwood known as a white sander or poniki. Its lightweight wood is more malleable and flexible than wood from other types of traditional trees, providing the craftspeople an edge.

The wood is divided into various sizes and shapes, adhered together with specially made glue, and covered in chinta lappam, which is made from sawdust and boiled tamarind seeds. Then any ridges and depressions are smoothed out by applying a covering of white clay. The toys are colored and dried after that.

An herbal extract is used in the painting of these toys to give them a gorgeous golden gloss. Also, these have only the richest oil colors applied to them. Although certain toys are now coated in enamel, giving them a distinctive tone, the shine on these toys is also provided through the use of Duco colors. Tamarind seeds (chintha ginjallu), which are steeped in water until they are soft, are used to make the lye. Then a paste is made by grinding these.

The cottage industry in this area, which is the main source of income for the artists engaged in this trade, includes Nirmal toys, Nirmal paintings, etc. In fact, Nirmal toys are the region's pride, and the town is known for its unique toys, paintings, and furniture.

The toys produced in Nirmal are very well-liked since they make excellent gifts and keepsakes. Decorative toys are used to adorn homes, workplaces, and art galleries. Other craftsmen who travel to the town from other areas of the world are likewise interested in the tradition of toy manufacture for scholarly reasons.

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