Channapatna is the name of a small town between Bengaluru and Mysuru. Channapatna is famous for its beautiful and colourful toys. These toys mainly attract children. Janap’ada Loka, a folklore centre, is near Channapatna. Here we can see articles or things used in olden days in the farming activities. Kengal Anjaneya Swamy, a beautiful temple, is also near Channapatna. It is near the home town of our late Chief Minister Mr.Kengal Hanumanthaiah. The temple attracts thousands of devotees from different parts of the state.

The lesson ‘Channapatna Toys’ is a narrative essay on the town of Channapatna and its glory. Two school-going sisters Divya and Muktha, saw the beautiful pictures of toys in a newspaper their grandpa was reading.

They pestered him to tell them a story about the toys. There Grandpa tells them that Tippu Sulthan was a famous and good ruler. Since he loved children very much, he brought Persian toy makers to his kingdom to teach and train local artisans to make beautiful toys.

Channapatna is also known as ‘Gombegala Ooru’. Once when grandfather had been to Channapatna he visited ‘Maya Organic’ an NGO (Non – Government Organisation. and saw Artisans working hard to earn a living from the wonderful art of making toys. The artisans made toys by chiping away on a piece of wood.

But now – a – days, artishans use power lathes to make toys. Channaptna toys are eco friendly because only .regetable colours are used to colour them. These toys are exported to rpany countries. The grandfather had also met Mr. Girish, who had eighteen years of toy – making experience. Mr. Girish had told grandpa that they were a family of toy makers and that they made ‘SadaBombe’ (plain toys without colours.

He also told Grandpa that these toys were world famous and are also protected as a geographical indication (GZ. under WTO (World Trade Organization. (A Geographic Indication (GI. is a sign that identifies a product as orignating from a particular location which gives that product a special quality or reputation Eg : Daijelling tea] Channapatna toys are made out of Aale Mara (Ivory, wood. or Wrightia tinctoria tree.

The government of Karnataka is supporting and helping the toymakers. Karnataka State Handicrafts Development Corporation (KSHDC., conducts toy making workshops and Training. The government has set up a lacquer ware craft complex on Tatte kere Road, Channapatna.

The Channapatna toymakers also make cricket bats, wickets, photoframes, trophy bases and spectacle cases. The Dutch government and the ‘VISHWA’ scheme of the Karnataka Government provide financial assistance to the toymakers.

Other than the colourful toys, Channapatna is famous fo. rits Anjaneya Swamy temple at kengal just beside the Bengaluru – Mysore Highway. The former chiefminister of Karnataka, Shri. Hanumanthaiah, who hails from kengal, renovated this temple.

Other attractions of Chennaptna are the Janapada Loka near Ramanagara. It is a musuem for folklore, of rural people. Janapadaloka was established by Dr.H.L. NageGowda. Here young village artists are, trained in folk arts.

After listening to their grandpa, the two sisters, Divya and Muktha, decide to visit Channapatna and Ramanagara during the summer vacations.