Handicrafts | Things to Feel, Vizag
Home>About Vizag>Culture>Handicrafts
Handicrafts

About Vizag

Geography

Climate

Seasons

Landscape

Area

Natural Resouces

History

Before British

During British

After British

Modern day Vizag

Culture

Dance Forms

Folk Art Forms

Festivals

Handicrafts

Cuisine

Traditions

Calander

Hall of Fame
 
 
Vizag for centuries is known for its intricate handcrafted items. Be it Wooden furniture of 18th Century or Ivory Inlay work of 19th Century or shiney brassware of the recent times Vizag what ever it produced have charmed the world over. Etikoppaka toys Vizag's exclusive hand craft item made of soft wood covered with laqur and eco friendly dyes have acclaimed the popularity for innovativeness and practicality.
You often see the handcrafted items solf for premium in christies and similar auction houses even till today.
Etikoppaka Toys  
Etikoppaka, a small town in Vizag reminds one of childhood days, of vivid, sparkling wooden toys and colorful objects that were the source of endless joy.

This village in Vizag has an age-old tradition of toy making. The toys are usually made of wood. The wood is soft and has a fine grain. Women and children pick it up from nearby hills and leave it to dry in the courtyards. The workplace and tools are primitive. It is a wonder that with these primitive tools, objects of such skill originate here.

In 1906, Sri C.V.Padmanabha Raju, a landlord of Etikoppaka, brought colored lac from Chennai. The local villagers made toys using the soft lightwood and colored lac.

Lacquering is done on a lathe, hand or machine operated. For making slender and delicate items, the hand lathe is considered suitable. Dry lac is pressed against the item to be lacquered and then exposed to heat. The wooden base is continually rotated for uniform application. It speaks of the skill of the craftsman as he uses different colors and yet manages to get uniform shine on them.

Etikoppaka toys have become very popular in India and abroad. As the toys are exported also, vegetable dyes are used in coloring instead of lead based dyes. Vegetable dyes are brought from Madhya Pradesh in powdered form. A thick decoction of color is mixed with hot lac and sticks are made similar to those with synthetic dyes.

In making new designs, Etikoppaka artisans are helped by the School of Fine Arts, Andhra University, National Institute of Design, Ahmedabad and M.S.University, Baroda besides individual designers.
Makavarapalem Brassware

 

Gallery

 

 

 

 

 

Activities
 

Nearby Places
Utensils
Eating Etiqqute
Madugula Halwa
Redsand Dunes
Currency
Pet Animals

accommodation
Indian's and NRI's
Professionals Returning
For Tourists
Kurupam Rulars
Pusapati Dynasty

Media
Forms
E Books
Links
Latest News
Contribute
Articles / Publications
Destinations  |  Accommodation  |  Activities  |  Arrival  |  About Vizag  | 

About Us |  Contact Us |  Home |