Bhuvaneshwari Kumaravel
| Photo Credit: Special arrangement
When Bhuvaneshwari Kumaravel became a mother, she found it difficult to keep her children engrossed. “They outgrew their toys so fast and then would invariably take to screens. We live in nuclear families and the children have no choice when we are busy at work.”
Bhuvaneshwari was unhappy that her children were missing out on traditional games. “I started reading up on traditional Indian toys to see if I could create something that could be used over a longer period of time, a one-time investment that would reduce the plastic pile up at home.”
The aim, Bhuvaneshwari says, was to create a sophisticated, safe, eco-friendly toy that would not only keep the child away from the screen, but also challenge their minds. “I travelled to Mysuru and Channapatna and interacted with the local artisans to partner with us.” That is how Gift Equals Love LLP (GEL) was born.
Bhuvaneshwari started with wooden toys and games from Channapatna. “We improvised on everything we had initially planned, to create magnetic toy sets that could be used in more than one way. When I saw that my children were hooked, I knew we had something that we could share with the world.”
The toys, Bhuvaneshwari says, will aid the child’s brain development and reduce screen time. “One toy set has multiple uses. It is versatile and children can create anything with them.
Some of her toys
The toys are all handmade using vegetable dyes with the artisans bringing in their traditional skills into play, while modern technology is used for the magnetic pieces. Bhuvaneshwari now has a toy manufacturing and trading company in Mysuru. “I had started a page on social media posting my challenges as a mother to keep my children engaged and away from screens. Parents connected and since I had no business background, I started by selling on social media.”
“I also believe the timing was right. Though I started in 2016, the sales boomed during COVID-19. Both parents and children took to the toys with their traditional designs and bright colours.”
The toys, Bhuvaneshwari says come in two variants — Gelmag and Geltiles and can be used to create 2-D and 3-D structures. “These sets are made from recyclable plastics and magnets. We have toys for a three-month old as well as magnetic ones that can be used by children and adults alike. They come with an instruction booklet and we have videos on our website that show the endless possibilities of the toys.”
The toys are available online and are priced from ₹900.