Kondapalli is a small city situated a number of kilometers from Vijaywada in Andhra Pradesh. Traditionally situated on the banks of river Krishna, it has a mighty fort on a hilltop guarding it. Nonetheless, occasions modified and plenty of issues modified. Nonetheless, what stays an unbroken custom is the making of Kondapalli toys by conventional artists.
Kondapalli Toys
Kondapalli toys (or Bommalu within the Telugu language) you may need seen within the type of dancing dolls, with wiggling heads. They’re the marquee toys of this small artisan village of Andhra. If you go to the village, you see many different sorts of toys being made in homes, principally with open doorways.
Artisan homes announce their presence with aesthetically painted entrance partitions. They sometimes had crimson partitions with whereas Kolams or Rangolis drawn over them and borders enhancing the boundaries of doorways and home windows. Some conventional toys like Bullock carts have been displayed proper outdoors the homes and little retailers. A few of them have been loaded with sacks of grains, depicting them because the mode of transportation. It jogged my memory of the carts discovered at Indus Valley civilization websites that I had seen at Nationwide Museum in Delhi.
As we walked across the village, we noticed carved picket frames in glowing white mendacity round within the Solar. They have been being dried earlier than they are often given colours to make them look vibrant.
Within the verandah of homes, we noticed women and men patiently portray one toy at a time. They hardly ever seemed as much as see us passing by, or standing subsequent to them to admire their work.
Toys for Navratri
Kondapalli toys are used for festivals like Navaratri when these toys are displayed as Golu on a tiered show. In Andhra, they’re additionally part of Makar Sankranti celebrations. I assume in a roundabout way they’re part of each Indian pageant.
We noticed lovely Ganesha, Krishna, Dashavatar, and another deities. The dancing dolls, generally also called Thanjavur dolls are the signature toys of Kondapalli. Then there are animals and birds. We noticed lots of on a regular basis life in these toys depicting rural professions. Then there have been up to date toys like automobiles and jeeps. I additionally noticed the nationwide emblem of India carved in wooden. You’ll have normally seen these at authorities workplaces. I’ve an analogous one from Nalanda. You possibly can at all times request a custom-made toy or a picket present.
Kondapalli toys have been awarded GI or Geographical Indicator Tag in 2006. This implies these toys can solely be made on this village.
Historical past of Kondapalli Toys
It appears the artisans got here from Rajasthan some centuries in the past and settled right here. Bear in mind the Kavad there’s additionally made from wooden and equally coloured with brilliant colours. It’s believed that these artisans hint their lineage to Rishi Mukta, who’s the patron Rishi of many artist communities. Domestically they’re often called Nakarashalu and in classical phrases, they’d be referred to as Arya Kshatriyas. Apart from toys, in addition they create vahanas or automobiles and Rathas or chariots for temples and deities.
As I sat watching the toys being made, I used to be informed {that a} domestically accessible tender wooden referred to as Tella Poniki or Ponuku is used to make these toys. Being a lightweight wooden, it retains the toys mild regardless of their massive dimension. They’re sort of made in an meeting style. Wooden is handled by drying earlier than it’s given a form.
Completely different components are minimize out individually. Later they’re joined utilizing a conventional paste comprised of sawdust and tamarind seeds. A coat of white lime is utilized earlier than colour is utilized to them. Within the good outdated days, vegetable dyes have been used to paint the toys, however now they invariably use commercially accessible water, oil or enamel colours.
Males sometimes do the wooden slicing and carving half and girls care for the portray. That’s precisely how I noticed the work being divided within the metallic craft village of Ektaal in Chhattisgarh.
You should buy these toys at state handicrafts emporiums like Lepakshi or on-line.
Kondapalli Fort
When you are at Kondapalli for toys, it’s also possible to go to the fort that’s fairly shut by. Initially, this area got here below the western Chalukyas and Kakatiyas of Warangal. This 14th CE fort although constructed by the Reddy Kings – Anavema Reddy and Pedakomati Vema Reddy. Later it handed into the palms of Gajapati Kings of Odisha, Krishnadevaraya of Vijayanagara, after which Qutub Shahis of Golconda. It briefly got here below the French earlier than passing on to the British who established a coaching faculty for troopers.
Although in absolute ruins, it nonetheless offers you glimpses of its superb previous from a excessive vantage level. It was strategically situated on the commerce routes resulting in the east coast, particularly from Golconda. No marvel artisan villages flourished in its neighborhood with simple choices to commerce.
Fort consists of a Durbar Corridor, a Gajashala or elephant secure, a market space, a spot the place ammunition was stored, a jail, and a few spiritual buildings. An arched corridor here’s a massive attraction for vacationers. Classic pictures now adorn the partitions of this corridor.
Solely in a number of locations, I might see the patches of carving the place the plaster has managed to outlive. Timber have grown across the crumbling partitions of Kondapalli Fort.
Whereas right here you possibly can go to the Kanakdurga temple, monolithic Undavalli Caves, Kuchipudi village the place everyone seems to be engaged in classical dance, or stroll alongside the Krishna River.
Journey Suggestions for Kondapalli village
Kondapalli village is about 20 km Northwest of Vijaywada. You possibly can simply drive from the town. Vijaywada is effectively related by air, prepare, and highway.
I didn’t see any eateries at both the village or the fort, so carry your water and meals or plan to return to the town for that.
You possibly can spend 45 minutes or so on the fort.
On the village, it actually will depend on your curiosity stage.
