Channapatna Toys

• Toy manufacturers in Channapatna, Karnataka, applauded the Government’s decision to prohibit the import of toys from China and said that the government’s action is contributing to augmenting their profitability.

About Channapatna Toys

• Channapatna toys are a particular form of wooden toys and dolls that are manufactured in the town of Channapatna in the Ramanagara district of Karnataka.
• Channapatna is also known as Gombegala Ooru (toy-town).
• Tipu Sultan, is the one attributed to introducing these wooden toys to the current town of Channapatna.
• He invited artists from Persia to train the local artists in wooden toy making, which then helped this industry thrive locally.
• Most of these toys are handmade.
• They are also painted in organic colours extracted from vegetables and plants and natural dyes, making the Channapatna Toys 100% chemical free.
• Traditionally, the work involved lacquering the wood of the Wrightia tinctoria tree, colloquially called Aale mara (ivory-wood). However, nowadays, sandalwood and mango wood are also used.
• Their shapes are mostly round and cubes with blunt edges, so they are completely safe for kids.
• They received the geographical indication (GI) tag in 2005.