Channapatna, our very own Toy Land
Hurtling down the highway flanked by rows upon rows of shops sporting colorful wooden toys, briefly halting there to pick up a few of the objects that greatly tempt with their brightly colored presence and then speeding off again to the eventual destination … this used to be my story and also probably that of many others who have frequented the Bangalore Mysore highway.
Not once did I manage to make the time or create the opportunity to check out the actual Toy Story behind these delightful articles which are iconic to the town of Channapatna in the district of Ramanagara, Karnataka, India.
Well there is a right moment for every event and finally I got my chance to delve deep and explore this fascinating and age old craft of wooden toy making, when I was invited on a wonderfully educative tour organised by India Tourism Bengaluru in order to raise awareness and promote these crafts.
And like Alice in Wonderland, Caroline in Toyland traipsed through the little villages and factories of Channapatna, bobbing in and out of artisan’s homes watching their deft fingers shape bobble headed dolls and other such playthings.