Damru

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

It has been suggested that this article or section be merged with Damaru. (Discuss)

The damaru (Devanagari: डमरू) or damru is a small hourglass-shaped drum from India and Tibet.

It is one of the attributes of several Hindu deities and gods, particularly of Shiva, and is particularly associated with Shiva in his aspect as the Nataraja, performing the cosmic dance of tandava. The sound of the damaru represents the primeval sound and the rhythm from which, according to cosmology, the universe emerges and in which it dissolves into, before re-emerging again.

The shape of the damaru, which is a triangular upward representation, also symbolizes the male creativity of procreation (the Lingam), and the downward representation symbolizes the female creativity of procreation (the Yoni). Symbolically, the creation begins when the lingam and yoni meets at the mid-point of the damaru, and the destruction takes place when both separates from each other.

In Tibet it may be made out of human skulls.[1]