The Saga of Mysuru Toys across the Globe
Down The Memory Lane
by K. Vijaya Kumar, Former Jt. Director of Information & Publicity
This is a fascinating story which comes back to my memory where a grandfather starts manufacturing wooden toys for tiny-tots and school children of Mysuru way back in 1930s and his grandson carrying them later across the global market for the children of various other countries.
The other day, my long time friend V. Praphulla Chandra sent me a book on his father M. Veerappa in Kannada published by JSS Granthamala and released by Suttur Swamiji recently (author: L. Shivalingappa). Though this small book attaches importance by terming Veerappa as ‘Founding Father of Painting Vachanas’ (which depicts the gist of a Vachana) with many of his such paintings in print, it narrates his multifaceted art life which mainly includes wood-based handicrafts. Veerappa had also served as Assistant Superintendent of Chamarajendra Technical Institute (CTI), being an old student of the Institute in 1918-20.
An artist-turned-craftsman: Though Veerappa started his career as an artist after doing his Master’s at JJ School of Art in Bombay, by opening Bombay Art Studio in Mysuru, an opportunity given by Charles Tod Hunter (British), who was Personal Secretary to Krishnaraja Wadiyar, turns him manufacturing educational and play toys for children in 1930s. Charles also used to carry a few toys as gift to children in his country when he would visit during Christmas. Dewan Sir Mirza Ismail also had appreciated these toys, suggesting some modifications.
I remember to have seen him in his small toy shop opened in the first floor of a building (above R. Krishnaswamy Stationery Stores) by the side of Chamundeshwari Talkies on Sayyaji Rao Road.
Encouragement by Kamaladevi Chattopadhyay: The turning point, perhaps, was in 1959 when Kamaladevi Chattopadhyay, the then Chairman of All India Handicrafts Board, visited his Mysuru Toys Company in V.V. Mohalla. Impressed with the works of Veerappa, the Board encouraged its further growth.
By then, the Government of India had already sponsored Veerappa for a training in lacquer art and art of packing in Japan. The letters he wrote to his son late V. Gowrishankar, describing vividly his experience starting from his ship journey from Calcutta Port to Tokyo and the dedication of Japanese to their work and way of life was published later as a book titled ‘Sayonara Japan’ (so popular, it found three editions— 1959, 64, and 69).
Mysuru Toys Factory on Nanjangud Road: The Mysuru Toys Company founded by Veerappa in 1935 with production centre on Kalidasa Road in V.V. Mohalla, grew over the years as his son V. Praphulla Chandra and grandson Satish P. Chandra, a Master’s Degree holder in Business Management from Princeton, USA, established a factory in eighties on Nanjangud Road near Kadakola, extending its wing to manufacturing houseware products along with wooden toys, exporting them abroad. Now the factory is closed.
UNICEF for toys and IKEA for housewares: Having found Mysuru Toys conform to the International Safety Standards, UNICEF wanted them to be supplied globally for children. Similarly, the popular housewares company of Sweden, IKEA started purchasing home furnishing commodities to be sold in their outlets. I was pleasantly surprised to come across Mysuru Toys in a store in Canada where my son lives (Burlington, Ontario) during one of my visits.
Best Export Award: Satish Chandra got the Best Export award three times given by All India Toys Manufacturing Association besides being selected for a foreign trade in wooden toys to North America and Europe. He has now settled in Bengaluru and owns Global Tech Park (P) Ltd.
Endowment in memory of Veerappa: V. Praphulla Chandra’s family have recently established an Endowment in the name of M. Veerappa at JSS Mahavidyapeetha, to honour an outstanding artist every year — one year under fine arts and another year under handicrafts alternatively — calling it ‘Artist M. Veerappa Award’ with a cash prize of Rs. 68,000 (Veerappa lived for 68 years).
The adage ‘Artist is mortal but art is immortal’ applies to the art of Veerappa, who had attained the single-mindedness and concentration as an artist par excellence. One can find his paintings in the State Archaeology Museum in Wellington Lodge, ‘Chitralaya,’ a private gallery, his earliest residence now renovated on 6th Main, 6th Cross, V.V. Mohalla where his another grandson Gowrishankar Sanjay lives. Another grandson, Santosh Shivanna is running a showroom called ‘Woodlife’ nearby on Adipampa Road, where adjoining Veerappa’s another son, my friend M.V. Subramanya (formerly of Perfect Industries, Printing Division) lives.
e-mail: kumarkv59@gmail.com
source: http://www.starofmysore.com / Star of Mysore / Home> Feature Articles / Monday , December 22nd, 2014