Nepal
Nepalese – Tamang people

Wood, goat hide, seeds, cane
Early-Mid 20th century
Length: 27.5 in, Width: 15 in
Membranophones – Struck Membranophones

This dhyangro is a double-headed frame drum used by the Tamang people of the Himalayan region of Nepal.  It consists of a wooden shell frame with goatskin drumheads that are secured by wooden hoops laced together with leather strips.  Inside are rudrakshaya seeds that rattle when the drum is struck by the S-curved cane stick.  The additional carved handle seen here is the traditional three-sided phurba (ritual) dagger with deity heads and many shamanistic symbols carved into the blade. This drum is considered an ancient tool of magic that has been used by shamans (called jhakri in Nepal) for centuries to go into a trance and channel the benevolent helping deities.  Thus, the shamans consider this drum as a self-contained embodiment of the cosmos in which they practice shamanic journeying/travel while in their séances.  It is played by holding the handle of the drum in the left hand, with the frame of the drum level with the face, and striking the outer head with the right hand holding the curved stick.

In another region of Nepal, the Chepang people use a different drum that has the same name.  It is a single-headed frame drum with symbolic metal decorations attached to the frame and is also found in this collection.

Resource: Tamang Shaman Drum Nepal (drummuseum.com);  ‘Dhyangro,” Mireille Helffer/Gert-Matthias Wegner, Simonne Bailey, ‘The Grove Dictionary of Musical Instruments,’ 2nd ed., Vol 2. Lawrence Libin, Editor in Chief. Oxford University Press.