Visit Gombegala Ooru, better known as the Toy City of Karnataka. In fact, the official name of this place is Channapattana. The city lies in Karnataka’s Ramanagaram District and has earned global acclaim for its lacquer handmade wooden toys. If you have read Noddy books during your childhood, perhaps you will be able to relate this place with Toyland. The story of Gombegala Ooru goes back to the days of the legendary warrior king, Tipu Sultan. Perhaps, not many know that he was an ardent admirer of wooden toys. Naturally, such toys flourished during his reign. Over time, the craft diversified. While there, learn about all the intricate steps that go into preparing these toys, right from procuring the wood to seasoning, cutting, pruning, carving, coloring and polishing. Vegetable dyes are used to ensure the safety of children playing with these toys.