In his Mann Ki Baat address on August 30, 2020, Prime Minister Narendra Modi made a mention about ‘Etikoppaka toys’ of Anakapalli district. Calling for India to become a global hub for toy production, with the slogan ‘vocal for local toys’, he hailed the efforts of renowned domestic wooden toymaker C.V. Raju from Etikoppaka for his efforts in reviving the historical art form.
Last January, Mr. Raju received the Padma Shri, the fourth highest civilian award in India, which he termed as an honour for the Etikoppaka toy craft.
But despite the adulation and appreciation, have the fortunes of the Etikoppaka toy industry changed? Has PM Modi’s theme ‘vocal for local’ given Etikoppaka toys a much needed boost?
In Etikoppaka, they say the artisans’ colony never takes a day off. The constant hum of the lathe machine, also known as ‘adda’, echoes through the day. This machine tirelessly shapes and crafts wood into soft, brightly coloured toys using natural dyes derived from seeds, lacquer (lakka), and leaves. Despite festivals or inclement weather, at least one artisan among the 250 households remains at work. The only time the machines stopped working was during the COVID-19 pandemic when the industry was badly hit. That was the time these artisans also started to panic about their livelihood.
“For almost three to four months, all shops were closed. Both online and offline purchase came to a halt. Exports were stopped. There was no support from the government. There was no work for low-wage workers and they had to depend on NGOs for their daily meal,” says K.Venkatesh, an artisan.
The Etikoppaka toy industry is believed to be around 400 years old. D. Sanni Babu, a 60-year-old senior artisan from the village, reminisces about the early days when some craftsmen made small wooden bowls and boxes for household purposes. These versatile items found utility in storing salt, turmeric, and other aromatic substances, with women especially preferring them for keeping ‘kum-kum’ or their precious gold jewellery.
Initially, these wooden creations were sold at stalls near temples and during weekly markets, better known as ‘vaaram - santha’. Over time, local kings, zamindars, and landlords began placing orders for these wooden products, utilising them both in kitchens and as decorative elements in homes. The turning point in their history came when artisans ventured into crafting toys for children.
The introduction of Lakkapidathalu, a kitchen set featuring vibrant vessels, a stove, a roti-making plate with a stick, and plates marked a breakthrough in the toy industry. This set saw great demand from various parts of the State. Over the years, artisans started using natural colours, enhancing the toys’ appeal and giving rise to a rich and beautiful tradition.
It was at the end of the second wave of COVID-19 in 2021 that the situation appeared grim, but the ‘vocal for local’ call given by the Prime Minister himself aimed at reviving the toy industry. Since then, there has been a substantial surge in orders, say local toy makers.
Renowned toy maker from Etikoppaka, S. Chinnayachari, who has been in the industry for almost 30 years, says the G.I tag for Etikoppaka toys in 2017 brought recognition to the toys globally and mostly benefited exporters. But the PM’s ‘Mann Ki Baat’ episode and his call for ‘vocal for local’ has helped grassroot workers, he adds.
“In the last two years, there has been a huge increase in the number of orders from different states. People are searching for our toys on the internet. Now, we see an increase in preference for our local toys rather than China-made products. We are receiving bulk orders for parties, marriages and different types of functions, where our toys are being given as return gift,” he says.
Among the toys, ‘Kum-Kum-Barini’, ‘Sri Ram Pattabhishekam’, ‘Bride and Bridegroom’, ‘Sri Venkateswara Swamy’ are the most preferred for return gifts, he shares.
D. Ramana Babu, another artisan, operates a shop at the entrance of his village. His family has benefited from a store set up at Visakhapatnam Railway Station, courtesy of the Central government’s ‘One Station-One Product’ initiative. “One Station-One Product was a great idea. Some passengers headed to different locations like West Bengal or Maharashtra may purchase the product. They may like it and recommend it to others,” he says.
Besides, the Etikoppaka toy industry has provided livelihood to a number of women in the village. Mr.Chinnayachari, who once started as a small-wage toymaker, is now providing employment to around 140 women in the village.
K. Lakshmi, with six years of experience in the industry, specialises in painting the toys and has been earning ₹9,000 per month. “It took me almost a month to learn. I paint 100 to 150 toys over two days, because it takes time to dry. I am happy that I am contributing to my family income,” she says.
Mahalakshmi, a senior skilled worker with an experience of 25 years, says her father, grandfather and husband have also worked in the same industry. “Despite losing my husband, I managed to run the house only because of the toy Industry. I even performed the wedding of my only daughter. This industry has given a lot to us,” says Mahalakshmi, an expert in carving toys out of wood.
The artisans are currently grappling with a significant scarcity of ‘Ankud’ wood, an essential material for toy crafting. The industry is facing additional challenges due to rising prices of dyes, increased transportation and labour costs, becoming a burden for artisans. They also seek better support from the government to help revive this Industry.
According to the artisans, the current cost for approximately 20 wooden logs of ‘Ankud,’ weighing around 150 kg, has surged to ₹3,000. Two years ago, it was priced at around ₹2,000. Similarly, lacquer is now being sold at ₹1,300 to ₹1,400 per kg, compared to the previous cost of around ₹800.
“None of the governments has fulfilled the promise of providing Ankud wood. Year after year, the artisans find it difficult to procure wood and the prices are consistently increasing,” says Mr.Ramana Babu.
Simhari Shankar, a toy maker from artisan colony, says Etikoppaka toys faced numerous challenges — invasion by China-made toys, COVID-19 pandemic and shortage of wood, among others. “But we have never compromised on the quality. Even now, we demand the price for the quality of the product and we receive it. People have owned these toys. All we need is some support from the government,” says Shankar.
Since they work on machines for at least eight hours a day, he says electricity charges hover around ₹1,200 to ₹1,500 every month. “The government should look to provide subsidies. Besides, some workshops about packing the material for exports and seminars by experts would definitely help us,” he avers.
Some of the artisans have sought bazaars/melas and exhibitions in different cities to promote Etikoppaka toys.
Despite the industry being on revival path, artisans harbour concerns about the impending extinction of their industry. Despite the global acclaim received by the toys, there is a notable absence of young individuals embracing ancestral occupations to sustain the hereditary profession. Many from the present generation have moved out of the village and settled in various metropolitan cities for jobs.
