Why in News?

• An agriculturist-turned-craftsman, Mr. C.V. Raju was honored with the Padma Shri award for his contribution to the Etikoppaka toy craft.

 Etikoppaka toy craft:

• Etikoppaka toys or Etikoppaka Bommalu are wooden toys made in the Etikoppaka region of Andhra Pradesh.
• The Etikoppaka toy-making art has a history of over 400-years.
• Etikoppaka toys are made out of wood and are coloured with natural dyes obtained from seeds, lacquer, bark, roots and leaves.
• The wood derived from “Ankudi Karra” tree (Wrightia Tinctoria) is used in this toy making craft.
• According to historians, the toymakers in the past received patronage from the affluent landlords in the region to make such wooden toys for their children.
• The Etikoppaka toys are famous for their attractive colours, soft finish and their link with the Indian heritage.
• The Etikoppaka wooden toys have been accorded the Geographical Indication (GI) tag in 2017.

How are they made?

• 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.