#handsthatcreate

Emotional Opening

In a small Telangana village, the morning still begins with the smell of wet earth.Crows sit quietly on electric wires. A temple bell rings once, slowly.Inside a narrow house, a wooden shelf stands empty.

Once, this shelf was full of toys—bright horses, smiling dolls, little bulls with curved horns.Now, there is only dust.

The craftsman sits near the door, hands resting on his knees.These hands once shaped joy.Today, they wait.

When craftsmen stop making toys, it is not just work that ends.A rhythm of life quietly breaks.

Cultural & Historical Background

For generations, toy-making has lived in the heart of Telangana.It grew from our soil, our festivals, our stories.Long before factories and plastic, toys were born from local wood, natural colours, and patient hands.

These toys were not just playthings.They were part of our childhood.During Bathukamma, during Sankranti, during village fairs, toys came alive in small stalls.Children held them tightly.Mothers smiled.Fathers remembered their own childhood.

This craft shaped Telangana’s identity.It taught patience, balance, and imagination.Every toy carried a bit of the village, a bit of the artisan’s life.

The Making Process (Simple, Poetic)

Making a toy is slow work.It begins with choosing the right wood—soft, strong, forgiving.The artisan touches it like an old friend.

The wood is cut, turned, shaped.No hurry.Each curve is felt, not measured.

Natural colours are mixed by hand.Yellow like turmeric.Red like sindoor.Green like fresh leaves after rain.

The brush moves gently.Eyes are painted last—because that is when the toy becomes alive.

There are no machines shouting here.Only the sound of wood turning,the sound of breath,the sound of quiet focus.

Stories of the Craftsmen

Most craftsmen learned this art as children.After school, they sat beside their father or mother, watching silently.No books. No certificates.Only observation and trust.

A father would say, “Hold the tool like this.”A mother would correct the colour.Mistakes were allowed.Patience was taught without words.

Their day starts early.Ends late.Income is uncertain, but pride is steady.

They don’t speak loudly about their skill.They let their work speak.

Even today, when someone praises their toy, their eyes soften.That pride has not died.

Current Struggles

But pride alone cannot fill a kitchen.

Plastic toys are cheap and everywhere.Markets move fast.Customers want quick, shiny things.

Handmade toys take time.Time has become expensive.

Many craftsmen earn less than daily labourers.Middlemen take more than they should.Orders are irregular.Young children in these families see no future in this work.

So slowly, the tools are kept aside.A son chooses a factory job.A daughter looks for city work.

When craftsmen stop making toys,a chain breaks.

Govt Initiatives & Ground Reality

There are government schemes.There are training programs, exhibitions, promises.

Some help does reach.Some artisans benefit.

But often, paperwork is heavy.Payments are delayed.Marketing support does not last.

The intention exists.The impact is uneven.

Many craftsmen still sit outside the system, unheard.

Why This Craft Matters Today

These toys are not just old traditions.They are sustainable.Natural.Safe for children.

They carry stories, not batteries.They teach imagination, not noise.

In a world full of speed, they offer stillness.In a world of plastic, they offer earth.

This craft holds Telangana’s memory.If it disappears, we lose more than objects.We lose voice, skill, and identity.

Customer Perspective

When you hold a handmade toy,you feel warmth.

You feel the human touch.You feel effort.

It is imperfect—and that is its beauty.Like village roads.Like handwritten letters.

Children smile differently with these toys.Adults feel a quiet connection.

It feels real.

Call to Awareness (Not Selling)

This is not a request to buy.It is a request to understand.

When craftsmen stop making toys,it is because the world stopped looking.

Respect takes many forms—listening, learning, remembering.

If we pause, even once,and choose to value human hands,these shelves may fill again.

Not with noise,but with meaning.

Closing Emotional Paragraph

One day, a child may ask,“Amma, how were toys made earlier?”

Let us not answer with silence.

Let us ensure that somewhere in Telangana,a craftsman is still shaping wood,painting smiles,and passing on a story—from hand to hand,from heart to heart.

To know more about this living heritage, visit: https://nirmaltoycrafts.com

Related Craft Links (Explore & Learn)

https://cheriyalscrollpainting.com

https://ikathnalgonda.com

https://lacbanglescharminar.com

https://cottondurrieswarangal.com

https://bathikpaintingsiddipet.com

https://zarizardosihyderabad.com

https://handembriderynagaram.com

https://handembriderynizamabad.com

https://bobbinlacestationghanpur.com

https://banjaraembroiderytg.com

Telangana, the youngest state in India, is renowned for its rich cultural heritage, scenic beauty, and world-famous handicrafts. Its traditional arts include Cheriyal Paintings, Nirmal Toys, hand embroidery (Nagaram, Nizamabad), Bobbin Lace, Banjara Embroidery, Zari–Zardozi, cotton durries, lac bangles, Baithak paintings, Ikat, pearl jewellery, intricate stone carvings, and hand-printed cotton textiles, each deeply rooted in tradition and craftsmanship.

The Comprehensive Handicrafts Cluster Development Scheme (CHCDS), under the Ministry of Textiles, aims to holistically develop handicraft clusters across India, including Telangana.

Supported by: The Development Commissioner (Handicrafts), the nodal agency for promoting and developing the Indian handicrafts sector, focused on artisan empowerment, market expansion, and sustainable livelihoods.

Executed by: The Andhra Pradesh Productivity Council (APPC), an autonomous non-profit organization established in 1958 by the Government of Andhra Pradesh, implementing the project in Telangana through consultancy, micro-enterprise development, skill development, training, surveys, energy audits, and rural livelihood initiatives.

When the Day Ends Before the Work Does

In a Telangana village, the sun has already set, but the lamp inside a small house is still burning. A woman rubs her tired eyes and continues stitching. Her fingers ache, yet they move with practice.

At the end of the week, she counts her earnings. The number is small. Smaller than the work she has done. Smaller than the skill in her hands.

This is the quiet reality many artisans live with.

When Craft Was Life, Not a Choice

Craft in Telangana began as necessity. People wove, stitched, and dyed because they needed clothes, because they needed identity. Skill was respected. Exchange was fair.

But as markets changed, the value of craft slowly slipped away from the maker’s hands.

Work That Takes Time, Pays Little

The making of craft cannot be rushed.

Each thread is handled with care. Each step demands patience. Hours turn into days. Days into weeks.

But payment does not follow effort. Often, it arrives late. Sometimes, it never comes fully.

Low income is not from lack of skill—but from lack of value.

Lives Balanced on Small Earnings

Artisans plan their lives carefully.

School fees. Medical needs. Food. Everything is measured. Many take loans. Some work other jobs. Craft becomes a second income, not because they want it, but because they must survive.

Pride stays. But worry walks beside it.

Pressure from a Fast Market

Modern markets ask for speed and low prices.

Machines copy designs. Middlemen push down rates. Handmade work is compared unfairly.

Artisans feel helpless. Their work is slow because it is human. Their income stays low because humanity is not priced well.

Support That Helps, But Not Enough

Government schemes support artisans through SHGs, subsidies, exhibitions. Some families feel relief.

But for many, the benefit is limited. Information does not reach all. Payments are irregular. Support does not always match need.

Why This Craft Still Matters

Despite low income, artisans continue.

They carry culture. They protect identity. They keep sustainable practices alive.

The craft survives on dignity, not money—but dignity alone cannot feed a family.

When Someone Buys, Without Knowing

Customers often admire the work. They praise the beauty. But few know the time behind it. The cost of living behind it.

When understanding grows, respect grows.

A Gentle Truth

Low income is not a personal failure. It is a system’s failure.

To respect craft, we must value time, skill, and life behind it.

Only then can tradition survive with dignity.

To know more about this living heritage, visit: https://banjaraembroiderytg.com

Related Craft Links (Explore & Learn)

https://cheriyalscrollpainting.com

https://ikathnalgonda.com

https://lacbanglescharminar.com

https://cottondurrieswarangal.com

https://bathikpaintingsiddipet.com

https://zarizardosihyderabad.com

https://handembriderynagaram.com

https://handembriderynizamabad.com

https://bobbinlacestationghanpur.com

https://nirmaltoycrafts.com

Telangana, the youngest state in India, is renowned for its rich cultural heritage, scenic beauty, and world-famous handicrafts. Its traditional arts include Cheriyal Paintings, Nirmal Toys, hand embroidery (Nagaram, Nizamabad), Bobbin Lace, Banjara Embroidery, Zari–Zardozi, cotton durries, lac bangles, Baithak paintings, Ikat, pearl jewellery, intricate stone carvings, and hand-printed cotton textiles, each deeply rooted in tradition and craftsmanship.

The Comprehensive Handicrafts Cluster Development Scheme (CHCDS), under the Ministry of Textiles, aims to holistically develop handicraft clusters across India, including Telangana.

Supported by: The Development Commissioner (Handicrafts), the nodal agency for promoting and developing the Indian handicrafts sector, focused on artisan empowerment, market expansion, and sustainable livelihoods.

Executed by: The Andhra Pradesh Productivity Council (APPC), an autonomous non-profit organization established in 1958 by the Government of Andhra Pradesh, implementing the project in Telangana through consultancy, micro-enterprise development, skill development, training, surveys, energy audits, and rural livelihood initiatives.

In a small Telangana village, when the evening light turns soft and golden, an old man washes his brush carefully. The day’s work is done. His fingers are stained with red and black, colours that will not fade easily. Children pass by, laughing, unaware of the stories resting quietly on the paper beside him. He does not ask for sympathy. He does not ask for charity. He only hopes that someone, somewhere, will look at his work with respect.

Cheriyal does not ask for pity. It asks to be seen.

This art was born in the heart of Telangana, in villages where stories were part of daily life. Before books and screens, Cheriyal paintings helped people understand their gods, their history, and themselves. These paintings lived on temple walls and long cloth scrolls. They moved with storytellers from village to village, opening slowly as songs filled the air.

Cheriyal shaped how Telangana told its stories—bold, honest, and close to the land. The red background came from the soil under bare feet. The figures were strong, simple, and expressive, like the people themselves. There was no difference between high and low, divine and human. Everyone shared the same space on the canvas.

Creating a Cheriyal painting is not just a skill. It is a relationship with time and nature. The artisan prepares the surface with tamarind seed paste, smoothing it gently with his hands. Colours are made from stones, soot, shells, and leaves. Each colour is mixed patiently, like food prepared for a festival.

The brush moves with confidence learned over years. Lines are bold because hesitation has no place here. Faces are drawn from memory, not reference. Stories guide the hand. The process is slow, but never lazy. It carries discipline, care, and quiet joy.

The craftsmen behind this art live simple lives. Many learned the craft as children, sitting beside parents and grandparents. There were no classrooms. Learning came through watching, correcting, repeating. A wrong line meant starting again. This taught patience, humility, and strength.

Their days are filled with work that demands focus and calm. Their pride is silent. They do not complain loudly. They do not ask to be saved. They only want their work to be valued for what it is—skilled, meaningful, and alive.

But today, Cheriyal faces many struggles. Income is uncertain. Markets move fast, while this art moves slowly. People admire it, but often do not understand the effort behind it. Some see artisans as poor and helpless, not as skilled professionals. This hurts more than low pay.

Modern life has changed tastes and habits. Walls are no longer painted. Stories are watched, not listened to. Younger generations feel the pressure to choose different paths. Not because they lack love for the craft, but because survival demands it.

Government efforts have brought some recognition—GI tags, exhibitions, training programs. These steps matter. They show that the craft is valued at a larger level. But on the ground, challenges remain. Support does not always reach every home. Recognition does not always mean respect in daily life.

Cheriyal matters today because it carries something rare. It carries identity. It carries memory. It uses natural materials and human skill, not machines. It teaches us that beauty can be slow and stories can be shared without noise.

When someone holds a Cheriyal painting, they feel warmth. The rough texture of handmade paper. The strength of confident lines. The closeness of human touch. It feels like holding a piece of Telangana’s soul—honest, earthy, and proud.

Respect means understanding the value of this work. Not feeling sorry for the artisan, but acknowledging their mastery. Not seeing the craft as old-fashioned, but as timeless. Not treating it as a charity object, but as cultural wealth.

Cheriyal does not need pity. It needs space to breathe, eyes to truly see, and hearts willing to listen. When we offer respect, we keep these stories alive—not as fading memories, but as living voices, standing strong like the red soil of Telangana itself.

To know more about this living heritage, visit: cheriyalscrollpainting.com

Related Craft Links (Explore & Learn)

nirmaltoycrafts.com

handembriderynagaram.com

handembriderynizamabad.com

bobbinlacestationghanpur.com

banjaraembroiderytg.com

zarizardosihyderabad.com

cottondurrieswarangal.com

ikathnalgonda.com

lacbanglescharminar.com

bathikpaintingsiddipet.com

Telangana, the youngest state in India, is renowned for its rich cultural heritage, scenic beauty, and world-famous handicrafts. Its traditional arts include Cheriyal Paintings, Nirmal Toys, hand embroidery (Nagaram, Nizamabad), Bobbin Lace, Banjara Embroidery, Zari–Zardozi, cotton durries, lac bangles, Baithak paintings, Ikat, pearl jewellery, intricate stone carvings, and hand-printed cotton textiles, each deeply rooted in tradition and craftsmanship.

The Comprehensive Handicrafts Cluster Development Scheme (CHCDS), under the Ministry of Textiles, aims to holistically develop handicraft clusters across India, including Telangana.

Supported by: The Development Commissioner (Handicrafts), the nodal agency for promoting and developing the Indian handicrafts sector, focused on artisan empowerment, market expansion, and sustainable livelihoods.

Executed by: The Andhra Pradesh Productivity Council (APPC), an autonomous non-profit organization established in 1958 by the Government of Andhra Pradesh, implementing the project in Telangana through consultancy, micro-enterprise development, skill development, training, surveys, energy audits, and rural livelihood initiatives.

Every Dugros piece holds more than leather — it holds love, labour, and legacy.

On this May Day, we honour the skilled hands and passionate hearts behind every stitch.

To our artisans and makers — you don’t just shape goods; you shape dreams, preserve tradition, and breathe life into every product.

You are the soul of Dugros.