Damaru: Difference between revisions

The skull (thöpa) damaru is made from a male and female skull bone or [[Calvaria (skull)|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[[Rinpoche]]s and [[Umdze|chant master (Umdze[2])] use them, in concert with the long horns ([[Tibetan horn|radung]]), short horns (jalung[[gyaling]]), large cymbolscymbals (silnyne[[silnyen]] and [[rolmo]]) and large temple drums (nga[[lag-na]]).