Ritual object

Damaru (Shiva's hourglass drum)

डमरु

Associated deity

Lord Shiva (as Nataraja) — also Goddess Saraswati in some traditions

Meaning

The damaru is the small hourglass-shaped drum that Shiva sounds during his cosmic Tandava dance. Its two faces represent the union of Shiva (purusha) and Shakti (prakriti) at the narrow waist, and its rhythm is said to generate the fourteen Maheshvara Sutras from which Sanskrit grammar is derived.

Use in rituals

Held in Shiva's upper-right hand in every Nataraja and Bhairava murti
Sounded by sadhus and aghori practitioners during Shiva sadhana
Tied to the trishul carried in Maha Shivaratri processions
Played by snake-charmers and street performers as a form of folk Shiva-worship
Used in some temple aratis to accompany the conch and bell

Placement guidance

Stored vertically beside the Shiva murti on the altar or tied to the trishul; never placed on the floor when not in use.

Common materials

Wood (sandalwood, neem) with leather faces
Brass with leather
Copper miniature for altar
Human bone (rare, only in certain tantric lineages)

Iconography

Two hollow hemispherical bowls joined at their narrow ends to form an hourglass, with leather membranes stretched across the two outer faces and two small beads on cords that strike the faces when the drum is twisted.

Modern relevance

Remains a standard iconographic attribute in every Nataraja sculpture, including the bronze Chola Natarajas in major museums; sounded daily in many Shiva temples during arati.

Explore further

See the full symbol library, the Lord Shiva guide, related Sanskrit mantras, and the complete wisdom library.