Kondapalli Toys

Kondapalli toys are world famous for their special wood. Kondapalli toys add a touch of aesthetics to drawing rooms with their finely created figurines. Adorn your home’s drawing room with a few Kondapalli toys and see the quality and the splendor they add.

The ubiquitous Kondapalli toy isn’t any another decorative piece. It is an article of reverence to most Telugus across the world. Handicrafts have thrived and are still going strong in this village located on the National Highway No.9, about 25 km from the city of Vijayawada.

The art of toy-making has metamorphosed much in recent times. The small wonders, that are made of white Puniki and painted with natural colors like vegetable dyes, usher the right ambience. The multi-staged process for making these toys is very interesting to watch. The artisans etch out the shape of the toy they create from the white Puniki wood.

This particular variety of wood is grown especially in the lands earmarked for this purpose in villages of Kondapalli. Lappum, sawdust and tamarind seed paste are mixed together to give the right look to the toy. Vegetable dyes are used for painting the toys of export quality. Oil paints are used for coloring the toys sold within India and enamel paints are applied to the toys made for special occasions.

Kondapalli artisans’ also have a mutually-aided cooperative society in view of the patronage of customers for such handicrafts which is growing by the day. One can buy a Kondapalli toy at the Lepakshi Emporiums run by the Andhra Pradesh Handicrafts Development Corporation across all major towns in the State. The artisans associations and different self-help groups also market them to the corporation.

If one visits Kondapalli to buy the toys, the costs are relatively cheaper based on the item the buyer chooses. The toys in the range of Rs 10 to Rs 10,000 are sold by artisans in nearly a dozen shops near Vijayawada. For those who plan to carry these brittle toys abroad, the artisans can pack them neatly as per cargo requirements for safe transportation. The artisans also create toys based on buyers’ choice. Some of the iconic toys of Kondapalli are Ambari elephant, farmer couple, palanquin-bearers, and many others pieces of artistic wonders created from Puniki which entice the buyers.

In order to visit Kondapalli for buying the toys, this can also serve a dual purpose. A visitor can enjoy his trip to Kondapalli as the village boasts of beautiful fort with sound and light guided tour during evenings and tourist-guided trip in the mornings. The fort has been developed into a major tourist attraction by Andhra Pradesh Tourism.