"Damru" redirects here. For the 2018 Indian film, see Damru (film).

For Surinamese-born singer, see Damaru (singer).

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Damaru
Damaru.jpg
A Tibetan damaru
Hornbostel–Sachs classification 212.241
(Membranophone. Individual hourglass-shaped rattle vi drums (under revised
Hornbostel Sachs classifications).[1][2])
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A damaru (Sanskrit: डमरु, IAST: ḍamaru; Tibetan ཌ་མ་རུ) is a small two-headed drum, used
in Hinduism and Tibetan Buddhism. In Hinduism, the damaru is known as the
instrument of the deity Shiva, associated with Tantric traditions. It is said to be
created by Shiva to produce spiritual sounds by which the whole universe has been
created and regulated.[3] In Tibetan Buddhism, the damaru is used as an instrument
in meditation practices.[4]

Contents
1 Description
2 In Hinduism
2.1 Damaru-coinage of Kosambi
3 In Tibetan Buddhism
3.1 Skull Damaru
3.2 Chöd damaru
3.3 Chöpen
4 See also
5 References
6 Further reading
7 External links
Description
The drum is typically made of wood, metal with leather drum heads at both ends. The
resonator is made of brass. The height of the damaru is 6 inches and weight varies
from 250-330 gm.[5] Its height ranges from a few inches to a little over one foot.
It is played single-handedly. The strikers are typically beads fastened to the ends
of leather cords around the waist of the damaru. Knots in the leather can also be
used as strikers; crocheted material is also common. As the player waves the drum
using a twisting wrist motion, the strikers beat on the drumhead.

In Hinduism
The damaru is very common throughout the Indian subcontinent. The damaru is known
as a power drum, and when played, it is believed to generate spiritual energy. It
is associated with the Hindu deity Shiva. It is believed that Sanskrit language was
recognized by the drumbeats of the damaru (see Shiva Sutra for the sounds), and his
performance of the cosmic dance of tandava. The damaru is used by itinerant
musicians of all stripes, due to its small portable size.

Damaru

In the shield shape of some damarus, the triangular upward representation also
symbolizes male procreativity (the lingam), and the downward round representation
symbolizes the female procreativity (the yoni). Symbolically, the creation of the
world begins when the lingam and yoni meet at the midpoint of the damaru, and the
destruction takes place when they separate from each other.

Damaru-coinage of Kosambi

Two Damaru-shaped coins from the Gangetic Valley.

In the post-Mauryan period a tribal society at Kosambi (modern Allahabad district)
made cast copper coinage with and without punchmarks. Their coinage resemble the
Damaru-drum. All such coinage has been attributed to the Kosambi. Many Indian
museums, such as the National Museum, have these coins in their collections.[6]

In Tibetan Buddhism
In the Tibetan Buddhist tradition, the damaru is part of a collection of sacred
implements and musical instrument was adopted from the tantric practices of ancient
India. These reached the Himalayas from the 8th to 12th century, persisting in
Tibet as the practice of Vajrayana flourished there, even as it vanished in the
subcontinent of India.[citation needed]

Skull Damaru
The skull (thöpa) damaru is made from a male and female skull bone or calvarium,
cut well above the area of the ear, and joined at their apex. Inside, male and
female mantras are appropriately inscribed in gold. The skins are traditionally
cured by burying them with copper and other mineral salts, and special herbal
formulas for about two weeks. These are then stretched and applied to the two
sides, giving the skins their familiar blue or green mottled appearance. A collar
of simple brocade, or copper or silver, has a hand-hold, and is the site of
attachment of the beaters, whose knit cover represents two eyeballs. The skulls are
also carefully chosen for their attributes and source. After the Tibetan diaspora
in 1960, they began to be manufactured in India and Nepal, with a continued
degradation of quality. Today, India is no longer a source, and their creation and
export from Nepal are banned, because of the acquiring of human bone through
illegal practices. One still does find occasionally those with painted skins and
without the proper mantras or other characteristics.

The symbolism and energetic properties of the drums is extensive. These human skull
damaru or chang te'u are used in a wide range of Vajrayana ritual, as a standard
right hand accompaniment to the bell, held in the left hand. Usually used to
together as an accent or punctuation during various tantric practices, the drum can
also keep time during entire passages. For the solo practitioner, it is an
essential tool, while in larger assemblies, only the presiding Rinpoches and chant
master use them, in concert with the long horns (radung), short horns (gyaling),
large cymbals (silnyen and rolmo) and large temple drums (lag-na).

Chöd damaru
The Chöd damaru (or chöda) is a specialized form of damaru. It is generally larger
in circumference and has a more round shape than its smaller counterpart. The Chöd
damaru is used in the tantric practice of Chod.
Drum Damaru - The Asia and Pacific Museum in Warsaw
With no known antecedent, the chod is traditionally made of acacia wood (seng
deng), though a variety of woods are acceptable, as long as the tree is not toxic
and does not possess thorns or other negative attributes. Made as a one-piece,
double-sided (two-headed) bell shape, size varies from 8 inches to 12 inches in
diameter. Usually featuring only a thin veneer of varnish, so that the grain of the
wood shows, they come the common red (marpo), black (nakpo) or rare yellow (serpo)
type of acacia, and are very occasionally painted with skulls, the eight charnel
grounds, or other symbols. The waist or belt is traditionally made of leather,
though often brocades are used. A set of mantras are traditionally painted on the
interior of the drum prior to its skinning.

The pitch of the drum varies, and the tone may vary depending on conditions of
dampness, temperature and so on. Played slowly, and methodically, the droning of
the damaru accompanies the haunting melodies and chants of the chod ritual, as of
which are accompaniments for the inner meditations and visualizations that are at
the heart of this spiritual practice.

The above applies to the ideal manufacture of the damaru, and as still described in
the definitive modern work, the "Mindroling Handbook of Vajrayana Implements."
Those manufactured in India and Nepal are made of indeterminate and cheap woods,
with painted skins, often no interior mantras, and altogether deviating from the
many other essentials, as prescribed in technical literature such as the Mindroling
Handbook. Such copies are now widespread and in use by Eastern monastics and
Western students.

Chöpen
Damaru of all kinds are traditionally paired with a long sash or tail called a
chöpen. The chöpen is attached to the end of the drum's handle so that it waves
about while the drum is being played. They are most commonly made of brocade or
silk using the colors of the tantric elements. On smaller damaru, the chöpen is
usually found without adornment, but on chöd damaru, the tail will often feature
several items which have been sewn onto the fabric. These adornments commonly
include but are not limited to: a polished silver mirror or melong, a set of small
bells, strips of tiger and/or leopard skin, one or more precious stones (i.e. dzi
bead), and any number of small brass trinkets.

See also
Dhadd
Dhyāngro
Na (drum)
Skull (symbolism)
Udukai
References
"Revision of the Hornbostel-Sachs Classification of Musical Instruments by the
MIMO Consortium" (PDF). MIMO Consortium. 8 July 2011. 2 Membranophones The sound is
excited by tightly stretched membranes; 21 Struck drums The membranes are struck;
212 Rattle drums (sub-divisions as for drums struck directly, 211) The drum is
shaken; percussion is by impact of pendant or enclosed pellets, or similar objects
India, Tibet; 212.2 Tubular rattle drums; 212.21 Cylindrical rattle drums; 212.24
Hourglass-shaped rattle drums; 212.241 Individual hourglass-shaped rattle drums
"damaru". Grinnell College Musical Instrument Collection. Classification (Sachs-
Von Hornbostel revised by MIMO) 212.241 membranophone--individual hourglass-shaped
rattle drum (the drum is shaken; percussion is by impact of pendant or enclosed
pellets, or similar objects)
https://instrurentals.in/divine-intervene-lord-shiva-and-his-damru/
https://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/500782
[1][dead link]
Sharma, Savita (1981). "Damaru-shaped Coins from Kausambi". Numismatic Digest.
Vol. 5. Numismatic Society of Bombay. pp. 1–3. OCLC 150424986.