Why in News?

• Prime Minister Narendra Modi has called upon Channapatna toymakers to explore the possibility of e-marketing their traditional wares across the country and the world.

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.
• This traditional craft is protected as a geographical indication (GI) under the World Trade Organization, administered by the Government of Karnataka.
• As a result of the popularity of these toys, Channapatna is known as Gombegala Ooru (toy-town) of Karnataka.
• Channapatna toys have a 200 year old history and  are made out of wood — soft ivory wood, teak, rubber, cedar or neem — and lacquered with vibrant, natural dyes.
• Its history has been traced to the era of Hyder Ali and Tipu Sultan in the 18th century.
• The fame of Channapatna toys was built on the smooth quality and bright colours of the products that were safe to handle.
• The Channapatna toys are laced with vegetable dyes and colours devoid of chemicals and hence they are safe for children.

What is troubling the artisans?

• As the number of skilled artisans coming up is dwindling and the new generation is loath to enter the business owing to inadequate returns, the toy town is facing an acute livelihood crisis.
• The COVID-19 pandemic has also dealt a crippling blow to the toy industry.
• Notwithstanding the challenges, including a threat from China, there is a consensus that the sector can regain its glory and compete internationally provided there was government support like guaranteed higher wages, marketing, and other initiatives.

Other traditional toys of India

• Kondapalli Toys– Andhra Pradesh- The themes of these toys are derived from Indian mythology and epics and also depict rural life, animals, and birds; the Ambari elephants and the Dasavatharam set are especially significant. The dolls and figurines are painted in vibrant colours based on water or oil or vegetable dyes.
• Asharikandi Terracotta Toys– Assam- employs ancient artistic techniques to deftly craft figurines of deities, animals, birds, and also objects from ordinary life. These are primarily inspired by traditional beliefs and aesthetics and reflect on the history of the religious and social customs that are prevalent in the region.
• Thanjavur Dolls- TamilNadu- A Thanjavur doll’s centre of gravity is fixated at its bottom-most point, such that a continuous oscillating movement is generated. These are bobblehead and roly-poly types of toys and are made of terracotta materials, marble, clay and wax. The figurines include those of traditional dancers like Bharatanatyam or Kathakali and the couple of king and queen which symbolise the royal dynasties that reigned in Thanjavur.
• Natungram Dolls– Kolkata- Chiselled out of seasoned wood and intricately painted with bright colours, the dolls of Natungram village in Burdwan, Kolkata, have rustic artistry that is original and unabashed by its lack of modern polish. The wave of Bhakti Movement that flourished in Bengal during the 15th and 16th centuries gave rise to the iconic pair of the Gour-Nitai dolls that represent Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu and his close disciple and friend, Nitai.
• Wooden toys of Varanasi– Uttar Pradesh- predominantly use the wood of shisham or eucalyptus trees to carve out the toys according to their required shape and size. The toys, which are attractive playthings for children and cultural decors for tourists, have no joints in them and are made from the natural vein of the wood. These toys, often lacquered, are cast into shapes of religious articles, deities, birds and animals, dancers and musicians.
• Dolls of Vilachery- TamilNadu- These theme-based ‘Golu’ dolls, which are arranged on display to tell a story during festivities, are inspired and moulded into figures of mythology, epics and folktale. Sun-dried, these dolls are painted by hand and finished within a few days.

The need for toys

• Most toys provide at least some opportunity for children to learn. The best toys engage a child’s senses, spark their imaginations and encourage them to interact with others.
• Toys are an important part of childhood, as they educate the child on basic physiological, mental and emotional development. The activities and control that is required to understand and operate varying types of playthings instil in the child the sense of shape and colours, enhances cognitive ability and flowers creativity.

Why should India focus on producing more toys?

• India is home to 25 percent of the world’s children aged between 0 and 12 years.
• India possesses a rich history and culture in the field of toy making.
• Indian Toys Industry is estimated to be $1.5 bn making up 0.5% global market share. The toy manufacturers in India are mostly located in NCR, Maharashtra, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu and clusters across central Indian states. The sector is fragmented with 90% of the market being unorganized and 4,000 toy industry units from the MSME sector.
• The toys industry in India has the potential to grow to $2-3 bn by 2024. The Indian toy industry is only 0.5% of the global industry size indicating a large potential growth opportunity. The domestic toy demand forecasted to grow at 10-15% against the global average of 5%.
• Global toy sales reached $90.7 billion in 2019, posting a 0.5% growth over 2018.
• Labour cost comprise almost 20 – 40% of the total cost for toys and thus are an essential input for this industry. Labour costs in India are cheapest amongst the other competing geographies

The Chinese Angle

• Made in China toys began to flood the market post 1991. While China became the toy capital of the world, India had little success.
• Labour laws, taxation issues, lack of technology and poor government incentives meant no major industrial house ventured into the segment. Compared with China’s end-to-end, integrated manufacturing facilities, India’s small-size factories ensured there were no economies of scale. Today China manufactures almost 75% of the world’s toys.
• Though Chinese toys are dominating many countries are wary of it due to the presence of toxic chemicals in it.

Government Initiatives

National Toy Action Plan

• The country has now graded the toy industry in 24 major sectors.
• Government has included 15 ministries and departments to make these industries competitive, countries to become self-reliant in toys, and India’s toys also go into the world. 
• Throughout this campaign, state governments have been made an equal partner in developing the toy clusters. Along with this efforts are made to strengthen the possibilities of toy tourism. 
• Toyathon-2021 was also organized to promote Indian sports based toys and more than 7000 ideas were brainstormed.

 Reference: 

1. https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/karnataka/prime-minister-modi-calls-for-e-marketing-of-channapatna-toys/article33950976.ece