Chitrakoot's 4th-Gen Toymakers Keep Ancient Craft Alive

Balram Singh learned his craft the old-fashioned way: standing beside his father's lathe after school, watching hands shape wood into toys. Today, as a fourth-generation artisan in Chitrakoot, Uttar Pradesh, he's keeping a centuries-old tradition alive while adapting it for modern markets.

In this small town, wooden toys are more than playthings. Families craft everything from spinning tops and rattles to kitchen tools like rolling pins, all carved from locally sourced kuraiya wood prized for its softness and smooth finish.

The process is labor-intensive and deeply collaborative. Men shape the wood on motor-powered lathes, carefully guiding tools as the pieces spin into form. Women handle assembly and finishing touches at home, adding strings, joining parts, and applying natural colors like turmeric for warm golden tones.

Singh knows that presentation matters as much as skill. "Finish decides whether a toy will catch someone's eye at a fair," he explains. Each piece gets sanded, polished, and coated with lac for that signature shine.

For years, these artisans struggled to reach buyers beyond their district. That changed when India's One District One Product program provided structured support including exhibition access, credit facilities, and improved tools.

Now Chitrakoot's toymakers showcase their work at major venues across India. They've displayed at Delhi's Surajkund International Crafts Mela, Pragati Maidan, and Delhi Haat, plus fairs in Noida, Kolkata, and Hyderabad.

The exposure has transformed scattered fair visits into sustained demand. Orders now flow regularly from cities where buyers discovered the craft at exhibitions, creating stable income for workshop families.

The Ripple Effect

Senior entrepreneurs like Dheeraj Dwivedi are working to strengthen the entire cluster, advocating for shared facilities that benefit all artisans. This collaborative approach means every workshop's success lifts the whole community.

The model proves that traditional crafts can thrive when given modern market access. Families who once worried about passing down unprofitable skills now see their children choosing to continue the tradition.

What started generations ago with simple wooden rattles has evolved into a sustainable livelihood that honors heritage while embracing opportunity.