Design Gallery
Religious Toys of Varanasi
The Craft of Wooden Toy Making
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Lord Ganesha riding a chariot.
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Lord Ganesha relaxing on a lotus flower floating on a pool of water.
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A pull of strings gives an up & down motion to the carrier.
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Lord Ganesha in sitting posture.
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L to R: Lord Hanuman standing, Lord Ganesha standing, Lord Ganesh dancing, Lord Hanuman tearing off his chest to show the image of Ram and Sita.
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Krishna flying on his carrier, a very large bird called Garun.
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Vasudev ji carrying his son Krishna safely to Gokul (2).
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Dashavatars: Ten different incarnations of Lord Vishnu on earth to kill the evil and save peace. (Tenth avatar Kalki, not born yet)
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Lord Shiva flying on a huge bird.
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Goddesses Ganga riding on a crocodile, her carrier.
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Lord Rama, his wife Sita, his brother Laxman and his ardent devotee Lord Hanuman.
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A court scene showing Lord Rama, Sita, Laxman and Hanuman, after returning back from the exile.
Varanasi, being the cultural center of India is also rich in the craft of toy making and is gifted with a community of craftsman who have been practicing this craft and passing it on from one generation to other.
The religious influence has been enormous leading to a different set of toys altogether depicting stories from epics like Ramayana and Mahabharata and also influenced by the tales of gods and goddesses, particularly Lord Krishna, Hanuman and find a rapid sale during the festive seasons. Slowly, similar influence also attracted toys inspired by the birth of Christ and made way for other religions in this craft. Religious toys are generally 2 dimensional, hand carved, and painted gaudily. They exhibit Indian motifs and patterns. These toys also tell mythological and religious stories of their time.
For more details: http://dsource.in/resource/wooden-toys-varanasi
