Tibet – Sanga Choeling Monastery
Tibetan Buddhists 

White conch, silver, turquoise, carnelian
19th century
Length: 7.5 in
Aerophones – Wind Instruments Proper – Lip Vibrated

Dung-Dkar literally means ‘white conch’ and is formed from a white conch shell  (“śaṅkha”), which is the Sanskrit word for the conch shell.  It is an end-blown lip-vibrated aerophone that is associated with Tibetan Buddhism. This dung-dkar is from the lower Sanga Choeling  Monastery.  It is heavily decorated with ornate patterns including dragons/serpents of inlaid metal (silver) and inset stones of turquoise and carnelian, which is to represent good energy. 

The dung-dkar has been used as a religious instrument throughout the recorded history of religious music in Tibet.  Before Buddhism was introduced to Tibet the religion was the shamanistic ‘Bon’, and the dung-dkar was used to invoke and call the spirits to help grow cattle or food and even banish evil spirits that caused illness and destruction. Nowadays the dung-dkar is mainly found only in Buddhist monasteries and is very rarely used as a secular instrument.  The sound of the dung-dkar is a “symbol of the proclamation to the world of Buddhist law” (Grove Music Online, 2006) and is played in pairs in orchestras or to summon the public to certain ceremonies.  If the dung-dkar is used for summoning, the players will play the instruments from the top of monasteries facing towards each of the four points of the compass in turn.

An example of the dung-dkar being used in an ensemble situation is the traditional offering to Buddha, where the instrument is accompanied by the ‘sil-snyan’ (small cymbals) and the ‘mchod-rnga’ (offering drum). The sound of the ensemble is said to make the ghosts panic and Buddha happy.  The playing of the dung-dkar is often left to young boys who will later learn how to play other instruments of Tibetan Buddhism.

Resource: Dung-Dkar : definition of Dung-Dkar and synonyms of Dung-Dkar (English) (sensagent.com)