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30 December, 2019

Every Kondapalli toy has a story!

Digital platforms have made it easy for artisans like Lakshmi to ensure a wider reach of the iconic Kondapalli toys

Kondapalli toy-making is a 400-year-old art form that is indigenous to the quaint village of Kondapalli in Andhra Pradesh. These toys are often made to represent aspects of rural India, Hindu deities or simpler things like animals, vegetables, etc. They are iconic with their brightly painted surfaces and have an earthy and rustic aesthetic which is characteristic of such carefully handmade products.
Kondapalli toy-making is a 400-year-old art form that is indigenous to the quaint village of Kondapalli in Andhra Pradesh. These toys are often made to represent aspects of rural India, Hindu deities or simpler things like animals, vegetables, etc. They are iconic with their brightly painted surfaces and have an earthy and rustic aesthetic which is characteristic of such carefully handmade products.
The toy-making process is quite elaborate. Firstly, a specific wood called Tella Poniki is used. Wooden blocks from the tree are carved into rough shapes. These shapes are then covered in a special paste made of tamarind, wood and sawdust.
The toy-making process is quite elaborate. Firstly, a specific wood called Tella Poniki is used. Wooden blocks from the tree are carved into rough shapes. These shapes are then covered in a special paste made of tamarind, wood and sawdust.