Etikoppaka Bommalu Butta Bomma | Ankudu Wood | 6 X 6.5 X10 Inches

Etikoppaka  is a quaint village located on the banks of the river Varaha in Vishakhapatnam district of Andhra Pradesh. A traditional art of the people of Etikoppaka, these toys have been handcrafted since the early 18^th century. The name Etikoppaka is synonymous with the beautiful wooden artifacts and lacquer colours. The story goes that two hundred years ago, a newlywed bride on this coast used to store her vermilion and turmeric in freshly procured, little artful containers of soft Anduku wood that were trademarks of a little place called Etikoppaka.

The process of making these wooden handicrafts is known as ‘Turned Wood Lacquer Craft’ or ‘Tharini’. The toys are made of soft wood and lacquer colour. Coloured with natural dyes derived from seeds, lacquer, bark, roots and leaves, they are chemical free and sustainable. The artists use a colourless resinous secretion of several insects, known as lac. The lac is mixed with dyes during the oxidation process. This lac dye is used in decorating the toys. Famous not only in India but around the world, these toys make for great decorative pieces and memorabilia.