A CASE STUDY ON

CHANNAPATNA TOYS

Team Members:AKSHAY MALGI

AKSHATA BALAGIDILEEP

ANUSHA ABHISHEK SINGH

AKSHAY HIREMATH

HistoryDifferent narratives of the origin of the art.Tippu sultan period.Earlier, about 100-120 years ago channapatna was

famous for making strings of veena. Later on toy making was started. The abundant availability of ‘aalemara’ (pala indigo)-Wrightia Tintoria tree in the surroundings of channapatna is the reason why people started toy making here.

There are few places like Nilasandra, Saidawadi around Channapatna who also started making toys. Compared to 100 years ago, now the work of toy making is increased by 200%.

DemographicsPresently, nearly 300 families from both Hindu and

Muslim community are involved in this art of toy-making.

These families are involved with toy making because they don’t think it is good enough to live with meager earning of 300-400 rupees/day. Because it’s a daily wage work, the workers are prone to discontinue the work.

Only 20-25% families would like to continue with art. According to 1981 census, around 60% of population were artisans.

Sources of raw material:

Sourced – bought from a place called Gondya, MP.A liquid called “haragu” – made out of a dung of a

certain insect - found in roots of trees in those forest.

Its extracted and powdered.Haragu + root powder = colorNearly 8 colors can be obtained. It is completely

non-toxic.

Material Management: In the ‘wood room’, the wood is stacked according

to the thickness. It is left in the wood room to season it.After a period of time, in the same room, it is cut

into smaller pieces.Here, nothing goes to waste as:-

i) the smaller pieces are used as fire wood and ii) saw dust is used to make incense sticks.Saw dust is not treated chemically, hence it comes

off non-toxic.

Production Process:Mallet (a hammer with large-wooden head) is used

to beat the work piece to the desired form.

Piece is cut into various forms using mechanized ‘saw’ machine.

Work piece is then ‘turned’ on the lathe machine, using tools to curve the surface.

Cuts and incisions (precise cuttings) are made on surface using chisels.

Production Process ….Sand paper is used to smoothen and file the

surface for ‘sleek’ finish (smooth and glossy)Surface is smoothened for the process of coloring

using ‘taale-gari’ dry leaf.The colored lacquer sticks [this looks like wax,

where the heat melts the color and then the heat generated due to friction helps in sticking the color on to it] are used to impart to the work piece.

Vegetable dyes are used to manufacture various attractive colors/lacquer sticks.

Heat melts the colored lacquer sticks on the surface.

MALLETCHISEL

IVORY PINK IVORY

Lacquer Sticks

Rose wood Vegetables