I think no one is unknown about Damphu. Because we have danced several time with the beat of Damphu. Oh, yeah! I think there is no one who doesn't like Selo song. And yeah Selo song exists with the beat of Damphu. It is a typical and classical musical instrument of Tamang. Tamang civilization and lifestyle is uncompleted without Damphu. Because it represents the history, culture, rituals and living style of Tamang people.
 |
| Damphu |
Being a Tamang we need to know about Damphu. So here I am trying to write about history and use of Damphu. I hope that it will be informative note for all Tamang people and Damphu loving other people as well.
There are many saying and stories about invention of Damphu in Tamang community. It is like an ornament of Tamba. Tamba sings our historical and ritual songs with with Damphu. According to Tamba - Once upon a time there was our ancestor named Peng Dorje. He was a hunter. He used to go to the jungle and killed animals. One day he went for hunting and killed a deer. After seeing killed deer his wife became so sad instead of being happy. Because deer was so beautiful and good looking. Since that day she kept on weeping. Peng Dorje was worried about his wife's sadness. He tried to make her happy. He used many tricks to get smile on her face. But he was unable to do that. Her sadness was going deeper. Peng Dorje was thinking how to make her happy. A trick came into his mind. Then he went to the jungle and brought a four feet long wood called 'Ambu Sing'. He shaped it into four lines thick, four inches width and made a circle. He made 32 sticks made up of Bamboo. Then he tighten the dry skin of deer on one side of the circle with the help of those 32 bamboo sticks. The circle created melodious sound - 'Trak Dhin'. He started to sing remembering his ancestors and gods with the beat of that circle. Tuning the melodious song and music all creatures began to dancing and his his wife too. She got smile on her face. A bird called Danphe was dancing so beautifully with that music. So Peng Dorje named that circle as Damphu.
Then Damphu became lifestyle of Tamang people. We use Damphu in each and every event such as marrige ceremony, funeral ceremony...several occasions/rituals and festivals. Tamang people express their happiness, sadness, remember their ancestors and say their history through the song with Damphu.
Damphu symbolizes Buddha and Bodhisatwa. 32 bamboo sticks symbolize Buddha's 32 symbols (Sangpo Samchyu Songi), Circle of Ambu Sing symbolizes Bodhisatwa. It is called 'holly soul' (Jyamchhyup Sempa). So we should imagine ourselves as Bodhisatwa while playing Damphu.
Author: Dawa Wangel Moktan
Author: Dawa Wangel Moktan
