Toys have been popular in India since the time of the Indus civilization.  Toys are not only used for entertainment, but they can also be used to educate children. Young minds are also developing their minds and learning about what life has in store for them. Unlike fancy and expensive toys, artists were inspired by nature when creating traditional toys. These toys are free of chemicals and made from materials found in nature. and close to life.

Sadashiva and Suran Velar, along with Thangaraman Velar, established the foundation in 1965. They were devotees of Karuppan swamy. The primary deity idol was made of charred clay. When we enter the temple, we see colorful mud horses of various sizes, which the potters donated to show their devotion to God during the Tamil month of ‘Purattasi.’ The old ones are dissolved in water, and old horses are gradually replaced by new ones. Velachery in Madurai has been producing mud toys for 300 years.

Velachery’s artisans collect mud from nearby locations and use molds to create dolls that are hand painted. These artisans belonged to villages, and they had magic in their art.

Tools and Raw materials 

• Clay
• Clay Rolling Machine
• Plaster of Paris
• Wooden Tools for clay Modelling
• Metal Scrapper
• Kerosene
• Paints
• Brush
• Sprayer
• Chalk powder
• Sand Paper.

Procedure

• Blending clay with a rolling machine This clay is then applied to the desired model and dried in the sun. On the idol, a small amount of chalk powder is sprinkled.
• The artisan constructs a wall and boundary around the idol out of clay. The idol is flipped over and kerosene is applied after it has dried.
• Clay is removed after splitting and opening PoP in the middle.
• The mold’s two halves are filled with clay and joined together.
• The mould has been removed from the clay. A clay modeling tool is used to smooth the partitions of the clay idol.
• The finished product is white-varnished, and later stages include sprayed çoloured paints and thin strokes on idols with brushes.

Themes

The artisans of Velachery choose the themes of  Gods, and Goddesses from epics like Ramayan, Mahabharat, Puranas, and from festivals of Jalikattu and events like wedding ceremonies, etc., that give life to mud toys.

Conclusion

The dolls are considered one-of-a-kind and exclusive, thanks to the glazing work done on terracotta and the high quality of clay available here. Any doll can be molded. Initially, they made pots, but they have recently begun making dolls. Women’s folk play an important role in the production of these dolls. They applied for GI.status for their toys and dolls.