The word ‘kangling’ literally translates as ‘legflute’. It is the Tibetan name for a trumpet or horn originally made out of a human tibia or femur.
Kanglings are used in tantric buddhist rituals such as the chöd ritual or during funeral ceremonies. In chöd rituals the kangling, often paired with the damaru-drum and bell, is played as an act of compassion for the hungry spirits; playing the kangling calls them in to the ritual space where the practitioner visualizes to symbolically offer them his own body, so that they can satisfy their hunger and thus relieve their sufferings.
For the practitioner this is a practice in compassion, but also, in the placing of another person’s legbone to your mouth, there’s of course a powerful reminder of one’s own mortality and place in the foodchain. It's a powerful practice in cutting through the bonds with one's own ego and the identification with the physical body.
Nowadays, kanglings are mostly made from different materials such as wood, resin or yak bone. The kangling here in our shop is made from yak bone and is thus a very close resemblance to the ones made from human bone.
This kangling is really beautiful in appearance. The yak bone has been carved all over with intricate decorations. The top area shows a depiction of a six-armed Mahakala, one of the most popular manifestations of Mahakala in Tibetan Buddhism. The lower area shows a Makara, a mythical watermonster very often depicted on buddhist ritual attributes, symbolizing fierce activity and transformative power. The bone has further been adorned with wrappings of a silver colored metal alloy, decorated with repoussé-technique.
Attached to the kangling is a brocade banner in the typical Tibetan Buddhist style. This typical style of fabric usage can be found in many different applications in Himalayan regions; as a small banner attached to amulets or ritual attributes such as this kangling, but also in much bigger items such as the meters-long "shambu" wall decorations or the high "chukor" ceiling hangings in temples and monasteries. The multi-colored, shiny and elaborate applique banner represents the auspicious blessings of the jewels of the dharma being sent forth as multi-colored rainbow light.
Sizes; length of this kangling is approximately 35 centimeters. Weight is 372 grams. From vintage origin, but overall in very good condition.
Only one available.
