Kondapalli Toys Overview

Kondapalli Bommalu
The colour drenched folk charm of Andhras traditional Kon-

dapalli wooden toys...
Aastha Aggarwal Rno. 176
Business Organisation and Management Project Lady Shri Ram College 2009-10
Aastha Aggarwal Rno. 176 Lady Shri Ram College
Table of
Contents
Prologue 2
Awash with colour and charm... 2
Introduction 3
The Magic of Kondapalli Toys 3
Past 5
Origin 5
Present 6
Today 6
From Mythology to Animals! 7
How are they made? 8
Cottage Industry 10
Future 11
Lanco revives this Andhra Toy craft 11
Kondapalli Toys get GI Protection 13
Conclusion 14
Birth of an ancient art 14
Epilogue 15
I want some too!! 15
Kondapalli minus the toys... 16
Bibliography 17
Aastha Aggarwal Rno. 176 Lady Shri Ram College
Prologue
...lyrical colours and beautiful hand-crafted gures...
AWASH WITH COLOUR AND CHARM...
Brightly polished, colourful and ingeniously conceptualised deities, ru-
ral tableaux, fruit, flower and fauna...

Whittling away at a stump of white wood with a knife at Sri Sankara
Hall (Kolu Exhibition, TTK Road, Teynampet) is Mohiudeen, carving out
a 6 Hanuman. He works with deep concentration at the icons visage.
After that he moves on to do tinier versions of Rama and Lakshmana
and joins them to the main in the conceptualised pose. Then will fol-
low colouring in blues, oranges and black with natural dye pigments in
which a special oil is mixed to give it the required sheen.
Mohiudeen who is from Vijaywada, learnt his craft from his father who
is based in Kondapalli. His Ganeshas are captivating, done in three
parts and auspiciously painted in vermillion. Krishna and Radha is an-
other favourite theme, again painted over in lyrical colours. But it is
superbly crafted bullock carts, palkis and howdas, etc., which capti-
vate with their charming realism. Mohiudeens repertoire includes well
crafted bangles, rattles, skipping ropes and bowls.
(courtesy: The Hindu, dated 11.09.2009)
Aastha Aggarwal Rno. 176 Lady Shri Ram College 2
Introduction
The toys have a denite grammar of colour composition of
their own, and a reection of native rural life of the Telu-
gus...
THE MAGIC OF KONDAPALLI TOYS
Did you know that animals, birds, reptiles and humans learn the les-
sons of life through play? Any object can be used as a toy. Lion cubs
even play with their parent's tail! Human children play with objects of
daily life, like spoons and cardboard boxes. But toys remain the fa-
vourite playthings of most children.
In India, the oldest toys belong to the 5000 year-old Harappan civilisa-
tion. These toys were made with natural materials like clay, wood and
stone. They depicted ordinary men, women, animals, birds, fruits and
vegetables as well as the important professionals who existed in those
times - the potter, carpenter and farmer, among others. And these an-
cient toys are surprisingly similar to the handmade toys of a later date.
Many regions in India specialise in making toys. In the southern state of
Andhra Pradesh for instance, the names of places such as Kondapalli,
Nirmal, Ettikoppakka and Tirupati, are associated with wooden toys
crafted with great style.
Note the image of toys below.
Don't the figures give an impression of lifelike charm, like they are
little people ready to jump out of the page any minute?
Welcome to the world of Kondapalli toys.
Kondapalli toys are made in and around
Kondapalli, a little village in the Vijayawada
district of Andhra Pradesh. The traditional
craftsmen who make the famed toys are
called Aryakshatriyas. The toys are made at
home and the work involves the entire fam-
ily. This traditional art form has been
handed down from one generation to an-
other. It continues to be the main livelihood
of the people of Kondapalli.
The craftsmen specialise in themes taken from their immediate sur-
roundings. Scenes from rural life are carved and made into sets of
various sizes.
Past
How did it all begin?
ORIGIN
Handicrafts convey sentiments that transcend linguistic and regional
barriers. That is precisely what the Kondapalli toys of Andhra Pradesh
have been doing for over 400 years. Kondapalli artisans are famous for
the their output of life-like, thematic carved sculptures depicting rural
life, deities and animals.
The artisan families of Kondapalli village near Vijayawada belong to a
community known as Arya Kshatriyas, who had migrated to Kondapalli
from Rajasthan in the 16th century and settled down under the pa-
tronage of the Reddy Rajulu. A few of the locals also imbibed their
skill, swelling the craft community.
Present
A peep into the colourful world of kondapalli toys...
TODAY
With the advent of modernization, the delightful picture of quaint vil-
lage life seems to be vanishing fast.
Kondapalli toys have, however, have
managed to preserve the rural flavour
of life in the form of art, and brought
it to homes everywhere, whether in a
remote rural home, or a big city bun-
galow.
Most Kondapalli toys are depictions of
different components of village life.
The Kondapalli toys have become the
pride of Andhra handicrafts.
They are so popular that people don't realize that these toys are not
manufactured or factory-made; they are still made by hand in the hills
of Kondapalli, a small village about 30 kilometers from Vijayawada.
FROM MYTHOLOGY TO ANIMALS!
Mythology, rural life and animals are the main themes on which the
toys are made. Swans, peacocks and parrots are popular themes too,
as are slice-of-life themes: women drawing water from a well, snake
charmers, elephant with a mahout (trainer) on its back, potters, etc.
Mythological figures are great favourites. Lord Krishna, the playful
God, is shown playing the flute with a cow listening on.
Kondapalli toys bring colour and joy. They create awareness about ru-
ral life and folklore through play. Can you think of a better way to
learn about the richness of Indian mythology?
In these days of mass-produced Barbie dolls, these beautiful folk toys
are a reminder that each one, made by hand and so painstakingly, is
unique - and it creates a beautiful connection with the world around
for the child.
HOW ARE THEY MADE?
Although it is difficult to infuse life into small blocks of wood, the
Kondapalli toys are exceptions. They are very lively. Every small de-
tail, including the appearance of the face, is looked into and carefully
carved.
Making these toys is no child's play. It takes a very long time to fashion
each one.
Kondapalli Bommalu (Toys) are made from the wood of tella poniki
(or White Sanders). This wood is chosen because it is lightweight and
soft. You can cut through the wood with an ordinary table knife. This
wood is found in the forest nearby Kondapalli. The freshly cut wood is
chopped into manageable pieces and dried in the sun for 10 days.
The wood is hand-
carved into the shapes
that are needed to
build the toy. A tool
called Bavujali is
used for this purpose.
Once all the pieces are
made, they are stuck
together to form the
skeleton of the toy
that is being made.
Traditionally tumma jiguru was used to glue the parts together, but
recently commercial adhesives such as Fevicol are being used.
This skeleton of the toy has rough and square edges. These edges are
rounded to give the toy a smooth body by applying makku. To make
makku, tamarind seeds are ground into a fine powder and boiled in
water until it becomes a smooth paste. This makku is applied using a
tool called palapu chekka, which is a thin and smooth piece that fits
comfortably in ones hand, made by filing a cows horn into a smooth
oval.
It is then placed on a kumpati (charcoal fire) to allow the moisture
from the makku to evaporate, leaving the toy firm and solid. A cloth is
then fixed on top of the makku-covered toy, further reinforcing the
strength.
Now, the toy resembles the final shape with smooth edges and all basic
components, but it is not finished yet. The final shape of the toy is
brought by applying a coat of lime ('sudda') mixed with tumma jig-
uru. A thick coat of lime is skillfully applied carving the final shape of
the toy. The toy is left to dry until the lime coat dries.
All the tasks until this point are done
by men in the family. Normally at this
point, women of the family take the
charge and finish the toy. First a coat
of primer, a base for coloring the toy,
is applied. After the primer dries, col-
ors are patiently applied to each toy.
Three kinds of paints- oil, vegetable
dyes and enamel are used to enhance
the beauty of the toys. It takes about
20 minutes to apply all the colors to a
mid-sized toy. The colors are applied with a brush made of goat hair!
It takes several weeks make these brightly colored pieces from a log of
wood. As we can see from the procedure described, at each stage the
toy is carefully hand crafted. Hours of manual labor goes into each toy
we see and enjoy today.
COTTAGE INDUSTRY
Toy making is a cottage industry sustained by some 100-odd families
living in the hills of Kondapalli. Most people in this community, earn a
profit of Rs.100 to Rs.150 daily. Working for a minimum of 10 hours and
a maximum of 18 hours a day, their work schedule is largely dictated
by the demand that varies throughout the year.

Like in most crafts villages, bulk market orders are handled by key-
craftsmen with expertise and financial clout, who then involve the
other artisans to execute the order. This homegrown version of out-
sourcing has however proved detrimental to the growth of the smaller
craftspersons.
In the early 1980s, the then Chief Minis-
ter, N.T. Rama Rao allotted sites and
built 42 houses for the artisans. With
the AP Government floating Lepakshi
Emporia as ready markets for handi-
crafts, Lepakshi became Kondapalli's `bread and butter' market.
The term `sustainable livelihood' moved on from a fashionable buzz-
word to a happening reality. In fact, the famous Kondapalli `elephant
ambari' became Lepakshi's mascot.
Future
Will this beautiful art sustain tomorrow?
LANCO REVIVES THIS ANDHRA TOY CRAFT
To promote and protect the traditional art form of 400 years, the
Lanco Group of companies (with interests in power and infrastructure),
through it's Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) programme has
launched an initiative called LIGHT (Lanco Institute of General Hu-
manitarian Trust), in place since 2002.
"Lanco developed its first power project near Konda-
palli village and during our interaction with the vil-
lagers, we observed the plight of these artisans fac-
ing various problems like loss of market affecting
both the art of making Kondapalli toys and sur-
vival of the families itself Vijay Goswami, Pro-
ject officer, LIGHT said.
Apart from skill development for the artisans in use of natural dyes,
making of utility designs such as pen stand, table clocks, etc artisans
were sponsored to exhibit Kondapalli toys in stalls provided at confer-
ences like the World Telugu Federation in Singapore in 2002.
Issue like cracks appearing in the toys and termite-attack was solved
with the help of professionals. Professional methods were adopted to
make the wood of Tella Poniki tree (White Sanders Tree) stronger by
way of seasoning, Goswami said.
Appreciating the initiative, the Andhra Pradesh Forest Academy helped
organise an overall development training programme for artisans de-
pendent on forest for raw material.
Says Udayagiri Surya Prakash, one of the beneficiaries of the project:
"The initiative of LIGHT helped at least 75 families of our village, who
are dependent on the craft. The artisans here are given training in de-
sign development, use of vegetable colours and marketing apart from
sponsoring us to some national and international exibitions. Earlier a
family hardly used to earn Rs 3,000 per month, now it is around Rs
7,000.
The objective of protecting the art form famous for its mythological
characters and depiction of rural life in vibrant colours has been real-
ised.
LIGHT, in association with the state government is also setting up a
common facility centre for the artisans where all orders for the Kon-
dapalli toys would be processed.
Even a Kondapalli Toys Development Forum comprising Kondapalli Toy
Artisans Mutually Aided Co-operative, Crafts Council of AP, CII, Andhra
Pradesh Handicrafts Development Council, Viswakarma Art Gallery and
LIGHT has been constituted to formulate strategies to promote these
toys.
Thanks to the efforts of LIGHT and Confederation of Indian Industry,
Andhra Pradesh, Kondapalli Bommalu created only in Kondapalli dis-
trict of Andhra Pradesh, are now marked with Geographical Indication
(GI), a unique recognition given to products native to a specific place on
earth.
KONDAPALLI TOYS GET GI PROTECTION
What is GI protection?
A geographical indication (GI) is a name or sign used on certain prod-
ucts which corresponds to a specific geographical location or origin
(eg. a town, region, or country). The use of a GI may act as a certifica-
tion that the product possesses certain qualities, or enjoys a certain
reputation, due to its geographical origin.
Kondapalli Toys protected...2007
Kondapalli toys are the most recent category of
handicrafts to obtain Geographical Indications
(GI) protection in India, being only the second
handicraft from the state of Andhra Pradesh to
receive such protection.
Fine detailing of form and facial expression is
one of the most distinctive aspects of these
toys. Experts believe there is a strong influence of Islamic and Ra-
jasthani cultures in the art form and are of the opinion that the arti-
sans are migrants from Rajasthan.
It is in recognition of this inherently distinctive and intricate nature of
the art form underlying these toys that the Geographical Indications
Registry in Chennai granted GI protection to this art form. The Confed-
eration of Indian Industrys Andhra Pradesh Technology Development
Centre (APTDC) in collaboration with the Lanco Institute of General
Humanitarian Trust had facilitated the filing of the application for
grant of the GI with the legal assistance of the firm Anand & Anand.
Conclusion
The new-born spirit of the makers of these ancient-spirited
embodiments...
BIRTH OF AN ANCIENT ART
Thus, nimble-ngered artisans, the toy-makers of Kondapalli-
are a transformed lot.

More and More people are experimenting with this form of carving to
including busts of freedom fighters, temples, assembly hall and even
modern inventions. It is these innovations and support from govern-
mental bodies, which keep the art going.
While toy making was on the wane two decades ago, due to better re-
turns for their hardwork, more youth are taking to training and enter-
ing the trade now. Efforts are also on to restore Kondapalli fort (to
make it a tourist destination and this could further enhance the pros-
pects for marketing their toys.
Epilogue
An afterthought...
I WANT SOME TOO!!
You can buy a Kondapalli toy in all the Lepakshi Emporia run by the
Andhra Pradesh Handicrafts Development Corporation in all major
towns in the State. The artisans associations and different self-help
groups sell the toys to the corporation, which in turn puts them on
display-cum-sale. Some private handicrafts shops also sell the toys.
If any art-lover with aesthetic sense wants to buy them in Kondapalli in
bulk, it works out to be cheaper. Any shop would usually add its over-
heads, including cost of maintenance and staff salaries, to the cost of
purchase and sell them at a premium. However, if one goes to Konda-
palli to buy the toys, the cost would be lower by 25 per cent to 50 per
cent depending on the item the buyer chooses.
The toys from Rs 10 to Rs 10,000 are available with the artisans in
about a dozen shops in this industrial township of Vijayawada. For
those who want to carry the brittle toys abroad, the artisans are ready
to pack them neatly to suit the cargo requirements for a safe transpor-
tation.
The artisans also make toys of buyers' choice. But then, it takes some
time for drawing the design and having it approved by the buyer be-
fore casting the mould. Ambari elephant, palanquin-bearers, farmer
couple and many such pieces of artistic wonders chiselled on Puniki
entice the buyers so much that they glue their eyes onto them.
Dual purpose!
One doesn't have to go to Kondapalli just to buy the toys - it serves a
dual purpose. A visitor would cherish his trip to Kondapalli...
KONDAPALLI MINUS THE TOYS...
Kondapalli is an Industrial town near Vijayawada city, Andhra Pradesh,
India with population of nearly 38000. It is 16 km by road from Vijaya-
wada on National Highway 221 and on Hyderabad Vijayawada railway
line.
Kondapalli Khilla (fort) is a major
tourist attraction. The historic fort
on the hill (Eastern ghats) on west
of the village was built by Prolaya
Vema Reddy of Kodaveedu during
14th Century It was under occupa-
tion of Gajapati rulers of Orissa for
some time , then Krishna Devaraya
of Vijayanagar and It later fell into the hands of Muslim rulers of Qu-
tubshahi dynasty in 16 th century. One can see the remains of main
fort and the prisons of that time, aided by beautful sound and light
guided tours. The fort is connected by road from Ibrahimpatnam and
kondapalli. Tourism development is now remodeling the fort, Prison,
Ranimahal and Gajasala (i.e. elephant staying place).
Kondapalli is home to the kondapalli reserve forest one of the last re-
maining pristine forest in krishna district, spread over area of 30,000
acres (120 sq.km). It is home to several leopards, wild dogs, jack-
als,wild boar, wolf,etc it is above 4 km from down to up.
Kondapalli is also an industrial suburb of Vijayawada. Kondapalli is hub
for storage, bottling and transportation of petroleum products of all
major companies . Major companies having presence in kondapalli are
BPCL,GAIL,HPCL,IOC,RELIANCE,etc
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Kondapalli Bommalu

The colour drenched folk charm of Andhras traditional Kon-

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