Channapatna Wooden Toys
The 'toy town' of Karnataka, turning ivory-wood and lac into safe, glossy playthings.
Channapatna, a town between Bengaluru and Mysuru, is Karnataka's 'toy town', making lacquered wooden toys and objects — rattles, teethers, spinning tops, pull-along animals, cars, stacking rings, beads, keychains, pen stands and figures — turned on a lathe and coloured with lac tinted using natural and food-grade dyes. The rounded forms, glossy non-toxic finish and lack of any chemical varnish make the toys popular for small children, and the town has diversified into contemporary homeware and jewellery.
Craft at a Glance
Origin
Channapatna, Karnataka
Also Known As
Channapatna gombegalu, Karnataka lac toys, 'Gombegala Ooru' (town of toys)
Craft Type
Lathe-turned lacquered woodcraft
Practising Community
Kharadi (Bestha) lathe-turner families, both Hindu and Muslim, organised through cooperatives and a government toy centre
Materials
Aale mara (ivory wood) and other soft woods; lac coloured with natural and food-grade dyes such as turmeric, indigo, annatto and kumkum; leaves for burnishing; thread and dowels for jointed toys.
Known For
Lac-turned wooden toys, rattles, spinning tops, beads and stackers in bright vegetable-dyed colours
Where It's Made
Channapatna town and nearby villages in Ramanagara district, on the Bengaluru–Mysuru road, Karnataka
Time to Create
One to three days per set
GI Status
Channapatna Toys and Dolls is a registered GI of Karnataka
Process Steps
Seasoning the wood
Ivory-wood logs are cut and dried for weeks so the soft wood is stable and will not crack or warp.
Cutting blanks
The seasoned wood is sawn into blanks roughly sized to the toy or component.
Turning the shape
The blank is mounted on the lathe and shaped into the toy's profile with hand chisels braced on a rest.
Applying the lac colour
Coloured lac sticks are held against the spinning wood, melting a glossy coat of colour onto the surface.
Burnishing
A screwpine or palm leaf is pressed to the spinning piece to spread the lac and polish it to a shine.
Adding detail colours
Bands, spots and features are added with other lac sticks in further passes.
Assembling and safety-checking
Jointed toys are put together from turned parts, and edges, joints and small parts are checked for child safety.
Technique Glossary
Aale mara
The soft, pale 'ivory wood' (Wrightia tinctoria) favoured for Channapatna turnery.
Lac turnery
Colouring turned wood by friction with sticks of coloured lac on the lathe.
Kharadi (Bestha)
The hereditary lathe-turner community of the Channapatna area.
Natural-dye lac
Lac tinted with plant and food-grade colours for child-safe toys.
Friction polishing
Using the heat of a leaf held against the spinning piece to melt and buff the lac to a gloss.
Gombe
Kannada for doll or toy; Channapatna is called Gombegala Ooru, 'town of toys'.
Chak (lathe)
The turning lathe, historically hand- or bow-driven, now usually motorised.
A Craft Through Time
Late 18th century
Tipu's encouragement
Tipu Sultan is credited with inviting Persian artisans to seed lacquer turnery at Channapatna.
Early 20th century
Bavas Miyan's reforms
New lathes and ivory-wood raise the quality and output of the toys.
Mid-20th century
Cooperatives and a state factory
Weaver-style societies and a government toy factory organise production and training.
2006
Geographical Indication
Channapatna Toys and Dolls are registered as a GI of Karnataka.
21st century
Design and homeware
Designers work with the turners on contemporary toys, jewellery and homeware, opening new markets.
Present
A living toy town
Hundreds of units in and around Channapatna continue the craft, competing with plastic and imported toys.
Did You Know?
Channapatna toys are coloured with lac tinted using vegetable and food-grade dyes and sealed with no chemical varnish, which is why they are marketed as safe for babies to chew.
Every craft has a story. Every story begins with tradition.