Expert: Alex Wilding - 8/3/2010

Question
I  have been to Bodh Gaya; India recently : and observed monks having a drum with a handle type of thing which they keep rotating-what is this called and what is the significance of this. Also this is rotated in particular direction: either clockwise or anticlockwise am not sure which direction-agian what does that indicate.
Also observed monks having lots of small pieces of jewel things which they keep on pouring at the back side of the brass tumbler - what does that signify or indicate or why this is practiced.
Any light on these queries will be highly appreciated.
Regards
Satwinder

Answer
Hi Satwinder,
In Tibetan Buddhism there are a number of styles of drum. Those held in the right hand with a pair of clappers on strings are known as damarus. If it is small, say about 8 or 10 cm, and used to punctuate the chant at certain points, as a kind of "music offering" then it is a standard damaru. If it is large, say 20 or 25 cm and used to create a steady rhythm throughout large parts of the chant, then you are looking at a "chod" practice. In both cases the handle is just fabric, and the drum is not rotated round and round, but back and forth, which is how the clappers are made to hit the skin.
The second practice sounds like a mandala offering, in which the whole world is visualized as an offering to the Buddhas and Bodhisattvas; the rice (or jewels) is a support for this visualization.
With all these things there are generally a large number of instructions, explanations and visualizations given by the teacher when the student is set to practice. There are books that talk about it (eg available from Snow Lion), but the details vary from one practice tradition to another, so we have to get the fine details from our own teachers.
Many people undertake to offer 100,000 mandalas in this way, as well as 100,000 of other prayers and practices. This provides a foundation for our practice.