ABSTRACT
The toy heritage of Andhra Pradesh - Kondapalli Toys was famous for its lightweight, vibrant colors and age-old production techniques. Themed around mythology, rural life, and animals, these toys exhibit joyous and realistic expressions. The present research paper focuses on the rich heritage of Kondapalli toys. The researcher intends to document in detail the legacy of Kondapalli toys with their special significance. The methodology adopted was the personal interviews conducted along with the observation method through field surveys. A multi-visit approach was implemented for authentic data collection. The findings found that a 400-year-old custom has been passed down from generation to generation, with every member participating in the toy-making activity in Kondapalli’s Toy Colony. The village had also gained popularity for the manufacturing of dancing dolls, also known as Thanjavur Dancing Dolls – a form of art that had been adopted from the state of Tamil Nadu. The making of these wooden Kondapalli toys involved great craftsmanship at each stage of the production. They were made out of white wood which was soft in nature, and used as the main raw material. The toys displayed various themes from daily household work to the theme of dashavatar. The art has a significant Islamic influence, and the pointed noses of the human figures are reminiscent of the 17th -century Rajasthan style. It has been observed that the Kondapalli toy has evolved from a child’s toy to an appealing showpiece throughout the years. Furthermore, the move eroded the repurchase market because, unlike children’s toys, collections require little replacement. Before the traditional toys got redundant even by the younger generation the researcher conceptualized the study given its relevance to the current times.
