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Singing Bowls Tibetan – Types of Singing Bowls

Age, design, metal composition, origin, sound , shapes and sizes, method of production- based on these factors there are around 45 different varieties of Tibetan Bowls or Himalayan Bowls or Singing Bowls Tibetan in existence today.

According to Age:

The Antique Singing Bowls available commercially ranges between the age of hundred to five hundred years. Generally, the older the bowls are, the more valuable they are considered. Typical features of antiques are hand beaten marks on the surface, heavier weight and minute crack spots on the exterior.

Modern Singing Bowls Tibetan are freshly made by artisans using a combination of ancient skill and tradition with modern methodology.

According to metal composition:

Traditionally, the ritualistic Tibetan bowls were molded out of seven sacred metals i.e. gold, iron, copper, silver, tin, lead and mercury. Some special ones used by high priests include up to nine metals. However, contemporary Tibetan bowls may or may not include all those metals. Today’s bowls can be crafted with five, two or single element as well. Even with limited metal alloy in the composition, Tibetan bowls of today are capable of producing high quality sound notes provided that craftsmanship is of high standard. Nonetheless, the multiphonic sound waves akin to seven metal Singing Bowls cannot be surpassed by others.
It should be noted that apart from traditional Tibetan bowls made of bronze alloys, there are other varieties such as copper, brass, jade and quartz bowls too.

According to Origin:

We can trace the difference between Singing Bowls referring to their place of origin also.
The Indian bowls are generally medium sized and simply designed. It is really Spartan in it’s appearance, without any form of elaborate decorations or expensive metal composition. It is believed that ancient Indian hermits of the vedic era used carried this kind of Singing Bowls Tibetan.

The Tibetan bowls prevalent in lower Himalayas are generally used as household utensils , therefore they lack any relTiigious or symbolic significance in the appearance.

Tibetan Bowls originated from Tibet are more ornately designed, engraved with Buddhist symbolism and figures. Bowls that are found in the far eastern Asian nations like China, Japan, Korea and Vietnam are also made using wooden and bamboo materials.

According to sound:

Seven metal Singing Bowls Tibetan are famous for their trademark multiple waves of sound generation capability. Crystal bowls on the other hand emanates only one pure musical note. Sound variation among Singing Bowls are also due to differences in the materials used. For instance, metal ones give deep and elongated resounding sound whereas non-metal ones do not have that quality.

According to production techniques:

Genuine Singing Bowls Tibetan must be handmade, using traditional skills and tools. It is a labor intensive process which needs continuous hammering on the surface, polishing and precise engraving done by hand. Due to the human touch, each of the handmade bowls is special and unique, easily identified by an expert.

Machine manufactured Singing Bowls Tibetan are mass produced in factories. Obviously, their products do not have uniqueness as all of them are copies and replicas.

According to shapes and sizes:

Cup bowls: They are smaller in diameter. Convenient and handy in size, they usually come in sets.

Manipuri bowls: These Tibetan bowls originally came from the north eastern Indian regions of Manipur and Nagaland. The tone emitted by Mani bowls area basic, nothing elaborate. These Singing Bowls Tibetan are often encrusted with jewels and studs.

Tara bowls: The body is deep and elongated, therefore displaying a feminine feel to its appearance.

Thadobati: Medium sized, ranging from six to eight inches, these bowls have typically tall walls. These bowls are common throughout Nepal.

Jambati: It is the biggest among Tibetan bowls, having a spacious diameter of eight to fourteen inches. When struck with a mallet, this bowl produces a deep resonance.

Lingham: Considered the rarest of all Singing Bowls, this type of bowl has a distinctive conical protuberance at the middle. Lingham bowls are the symbols of Mt.Kailash of western Tibet, holy spot for Buddhists, Hindus, Jains, and Bon Po followers.

Buddha bowls: Siddhartha Gautam Buddha is usually portrayed in scriptures and pictures as holding this type of bowl while sitting in a lotus posture.  These bowls are medium sized, and common in India.

Dharma bowls: They are lightweight comparatively to other bowls. Religious inscriptions are engraved on the abdomen of these bowls.

Karma bowls: Similar to the Thadobati design, they are medium sized with six to eight inches of diameter. Straightened marks on the surface is typical of Karma bowls.

Lotus bowls: Tall and thin walls with a diameter of six to eight inches surround the surface of these bowls, resulting in a deep sound when struck with a mallet.

Void and Void yoni: This is ancient in design, said to represent the sun sign. The bowl has two pairs denoting male and female gender.

Special extra thick bowls: These are thicker in width and diameter of the metal. The thickness produces a distinct heavy sound tone.

Bodhi Bowls: With their trademark outwardly popped up lips on the top, these bowls comes in medium sizes.

Stem bowls: Another rare type of singing bowl Tibetan, stem bowls are affixed with a ring or hinge on the exterior wall to make it easy to handle.

Chakra Bowls: It is widely in use by sound healing therapists. Chakra bowls are believed to posses power to influence the chakras (energy centres on human body) when placed on the body.

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This entry was posted on Thursday, July 15th, 2010 at 3:25 pm and is filed under Buy Singing Bowls, Singing Tibetan Bowls. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can skip to the end and leave a response. Pinging is currently not allowed.

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