An Indian toy story
Do you remember the toys you grew up with? I had a little wooden owl that was simple with bright colors. It did not sing, did not move and maybe you could call it boring? But I call it timeless – it was part of my make believe stories and one person plays and I remember it even today. If you are looking for beautiful toys of yesteryear, look no further.
Between Bangalore and Mysore lies a small town called Channapatna. Artisans in this town are keeping their toy making legacy alive today as they work with Maya Organic – an NGO that helps the toy makers earn a decent living from this dying art.
Image courtesy: Maya Organic
Using renewable hale wood, the artisans hand craft these beautiful toys and color them using natural dyes like turmeric and kum kum. A coloured lac* stick is pressed against the wood while it is turning on the lathe. The lac melts due to the frictional heat and sticks to the wood.
Merry tops
Ma-Me-Pa
Gorgeous, aren’t they? These beautiful toys recently made a splash due to Michelle Obama’s interest during her last India trip.
*Lac is an organic non-toxic finish and can be used in food as well as non- food products. It has a tenacious adhesive quality sticking to anything from porous wood to glossy smooth surfaces.
Available at redpatang.com
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