Explore India's traditional toy heritage at this exhibition in Delhi
In a world buzzing with flashy gadgets and modern gizmos, the charm of old-school toys is fading faster than ever. Remember those timeless treasures that once sparked endless giggles and imaginative adventures? They're more than forgotten. However, India International Centre, New Delhi, is organizing a time-traveling exhibition "Putul" to resurrect these vintage wonders and bring back the good ol' joy of simple toys!
Why the exhibition?
Curated by toy collector Asani Bhaduri, this exhibition aims to showcase the richness of traditional Indian toys and dolls from the Agnibarna-Madhumadhabi Bhaduri collection. The Bengali word "Putul" means doll. "We are losing the culture of buying toys. Earlier we used to have village fairs or festivals where toys were an integral part. Slowly, we're losing to video games and plastic toys," explains Bhaduri.
About the toys
This exhibition showcases around 75 toys and dolls from different states and union territories (UT) of India. Bhaduri shares that an effort has been made to present at least one toy from each state and UT. There are special display sections with action toys, masks and toys made up of miscellaneous objects, artifacts or materials such as clay, wood, leather, and candles.
India's toy-making culture
The art of toy-making is not restricted to specific parts of India as commonly believed, rather it is extraordinarily vast as is the diversity of the raw materials, claims Bhaduri. "Not only earthen toys, India has a rich tradition of toys and dolls made from wood carvings, papier-mache, metal, tin, stone carving, leather, candles, clothes, and seashells," states Bhaduri.
Where can you find the exhibition?
To view this one-of-a-kind exhibition, visit the Art Gallery, India International Centre Annexe, Lodhi Gardens, New Delhi. Renowned artist Jatin Das will inaugurate the exhibition today, and it will remain open until December 12, from 11:00 am to 7:00 pm. From December 9-12, the venue invites creative artists to express themselves, providing them with the necessary supplies. Their artwork will be showcased.
