Etikoppaka toys

The beginning

Etikoppaka is a small village on the banks of Varaha River at a distance of 64 Kms away from Visakhapatnam district of Andhra Pradesh. The name Etikoppaka is synonymous with the beautiful wooden artifacts and lacquer colours. Two Hundread years ago a newly wed bride on this coast used to store her vermilion and turmeric in freshly procured, little artful containers of soft Anduku wood that were trademarks of a little hamlet called Etikoppaka. This little settlement was the source of a veritable treasure trove of exquisitely carved bric-a brac that embellished the pride of any Zamindar whose estate dotted the countryside of the Ghats. The artisans of this hamlet were high purveyors of a craft that had no equal, only peers.

After independence, however, with their main sustenance falling under the hammer of the Sovereign State, the artisans started looking across the globe for inspiration and among them for industry. They became part of the cooperative movement and suited themselves to a new world. They added marketing, global fairs, and natural dyes to their unique legerdemain in lacquer. Now they retail across continents when they trade at international symposia.And create, as it stands today, the etiquette of Etikoppaka.

About the toys

The toys are made with lacquer color and are traditionally known as Etikoppaka toys or Etikoppaka Bommalu. The village is very famous for its toys made of wood. The toys are also called as lacquer toys because of application of lacquer coating.

The toys are made out of wood and are coloured with natural dyes derived from seeds, lacquer, bark, roots and leaves. The wood used to make the toys is soft in nature and the art of toy making is also known as Turned wood Lacquer craft. While making the Etikoppaka toys, lac, a colourless resinous secretion of numerous insects, is used. The already prepared vegetable dyes are further mixed to the lac, during the process of oxidation. After this process, the end product obtained is rich and colored lacquer. The lac dye is used for decorating the Etikoppaka toys, which are exported all over the world.

To buy authentic toys, visit https://lepakshihandicrafts.gov.in/etikoppaka-toys.html 

GI tag

Agricultural, natural or manufactured goods are registered as Geographical Indications (GI) by the Geographical Indications Registry as per the provisions of the Geographical Indications of Goods (Registration & Protection) Act, 1999.

Etikoppaka Toys have obtained their GI tag under Handicrafts category in the state of Andhra Pradesh.