Channapatna is also called Gombegala Ooru in Kannada meaning “Toy Town”. The town became famous when in the 17th Century, a Persian artist gifted Tippu Sultan a set of wooden toys. So beautifully crafted were they that the king decided to bring its craftsmen to his kingdom to teach his own subjects the craft.

Channapatna toy-making has over the years embraced other influences. Bavas Miyan, known as the “Father of Channapatna Toys,” helped local artisans enhance their skills by incorporating Japanese doll-making techniques into their craft.

In 2015, the former First Lady of the United States, Michelle Obama, visited Channapatna, and carried back the toys made there for her children. Two years later, the Indian Minister of Finance, Nirmala Sitharaman, gifted Channapatna toys to the two-year-old son of the Bhutanese King, Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck.