Watch: Indian artisans keep traditional toymaking alive
Rising competition from cheap replicas made in China has cast a shadow on the the industry
Channapatna, India: The whirr of machines and smell of carved wood hangs in the air of the Indian toy workshop, a centuries-old art form still in the game despite cheaper plastic alternatives.
India's town of Channapatna is famed for its wood and lacquer toys, carved from ivory wood from a local deciduous tree -- and dipped in brightly coloured dye from natural ingredients including turmeric and indigo.
"I felt interest in learning toymaking after I saw people in my neighbourhood doing it," said toy maker Rupa, who uses only one name. "I felt that I could also learn the craft."
Rocking horses, baby walkers and dancing dolls cut from wood are a common sight in workshops, which employ around 2,500 artisans in the town in the southern state of Karnataka.
