Varnam Launches ‘The Snugglewalas’ to Celebrate Indian Craft

Whimsical toy storytellers bring India’s handmade heritage to life

Varnam Craft Collective, the Bengaluru-based design brand known for reviving Karnataka’s Channapatna toy craft, unveils its most ambitious project yet — The Snugglewalas: Storytellers of Handmade India. This unique traveling showcase transforms handcrafted toys into storytellers that celebrate India’s diverse craft traditions with imagination, design, and emotion.

Varnam Craft Collective, celebrated for reimagining the 200-year-old Channapatna toy craft of Karnataka, has announced its most expansive creative collaboration yet — The Snugglewalas: Storytellers of Handmade India. This first-of-its-kind multi-city exhibition transforms playful, handcrafted toy characters into storytellers who narrate the vibrant tale of India’s handmade heritage, from Kashmir to Karnataka.

Designed to appeal to both children and adults, The Snugglewalas collection redefines how India’s handmade crafts are experienced — through toys, textiles, ceramics, jewellery, and home décor that combine storytelling with artisanal skill.

Each Snugglewala has a distinct personality and story. Meet Snappy the Crocodile, a serene riverkeeper who tends to lilies; Dawnold the Rooster, a maestro of mornings who celebrates each sunrise with music; and Neckles the Giraffe, the ever-poised fashion icon of the family. Every character is charming, relatable, and alive with imagination — bridging craft and creativity in a way that feels personal and joyous.

But The Snugglewalas are more than toys. They are symbols of comfort, connection, and belonging — reminding us that love can be as simple as a cuddle and as grounding as the warmth of home.

Rooted in Channapatna’s lacquered wooden toy craft, the Snugglewalas journey across India as a whimsical caravan of storytellers, each embodying a craft form and the artisans behind it. They bring together centuries of tradition and modern design sensibility, blending craftsmanship with contemporary relevance.

Unlike the usual narrative that views traditional crafts through the lens of decline, The Snugglewalas celebrate possibility — a forward-looking vision where artisans and young designers collaborate to reimagine heritage for tomorrow’s generation.

A Journey of Collaboration Across India’s Crafts

At the heart of this initiative lies collaboration. Each Snugglewala character represents a different regional craft form, interpreted through partnership between artisans and designers:

1. Wood Lac-Turnery – Channapatna, Karnataka
2. Lambadi Embroidery – Sitlingi, Tamil Nadu
3. Handcrafted Ceramics – Kolar, Karnataka
4. Naqqashi Enamel Art – Kashmir
5. Handcrafted Jewellery – West Bengal
6. Namda/Felt Craft – Kashmir
7. Crewel Embroidery – Kashmir
8. Hand Block Printing – Sanganer, Rajasthan
9. Mughal Block Printing – Amer, Rajasthan
10. Punja Dhurries – Mirzapur, Uttar Pradesh
11. Crochet Craft – Noida

Each craft is brought alive by India’s finest artisan clusters — including Porgai (Tamil Nadu), Headstreams (Karnataka), Mon Ami Foundation (Noida), and artisans from Kashmir, Rajasthan, and West Bengal.

Meet the Storytellers

The collection includes a family of expressive characters:

• Snappy the Crocodile – A calm riverkeeper dreaming of peaceful waters.
• Pawston the Tiger – A thoughtful artist who paints instead of pouncing.
• Cosmo the Panda – A dreamer who balances action with imagination.
• Dawnold the Rooster – The maestro of mornings with a love for music.
• Miss Bumbledore the Bumblebee – A daydreamer turning honeycombs into parachutes.
• Flappy the Elephant – Joyful, graceful, and full of rhythm.
• Neckles the Giraffe – The epitome of quiet elegance.
• Nibbles the Parrot – A wise observer who speaks sparingly.
• Oinkston the Pig – A cheerful gardener with a love for mint and mud.
• Hopzy the Rabbit – An inventive builder of carrot-powered contraptions.
• Miss Mooberry the Cow – A melodious diva crowned with berries.
• Sir Woolsworth the Sheep – The black sheep who forges his own path.

Why The Snugglewalas Stand Apart

• First-of-its-kind concept: No other exhibit has merged whimsical storytelling with India’s handmade crafts.
• Celebrating positivity: Shifting focus from loss to the possibility of revival, championing craft as a living, evolving art.
• Collaborative creativity: A union of artisans and young designers expressing craft through toys, apparel, ceramics, and décor.
• Inclusive storytelling: Designed to engage both children and adults, the Snugglewalas celebrate artisanship through play, poetry, and charm.

More than characters, the Snugglewalas are companions of creativity and custodians of heritage — bridging past and present, inspiring a new generation to see handmade India with fresh wonder.