Introduction And Construction Of Chimta Musical Instrument In English

Introduction And Construction Of Chimta Musical Instrument

Introduction

• Chimta literally means tongs. Over time it has evolved from the permanent addition of small brass jingles to a traditional instrument of South Asia.
• Chimta is a solid musical instrument made of iron and metal. It is a folk instrument found in Punjab. It is majorly used in folk, traditional and devotional music in North India. Especially in Punjab, Uttar Pradesh and Haryana.
• This instrument is often used in popular Punjabi folk songs, Bhangra music and Sikh religious music known as Gurbani Kirtan.
• A tong player is able to produce a strumming sound by striking the two sides of the tong simultaneously while holding the joint of the instrument with one hand.
• Jingles are made of metal and thus produce a metallic sound and help in maintaining the tempo of the song. In bhangra music or at weddings it is often accompanied by dhol and bhangra dancers.

Construction And Design

• Tongs consist of a long, flat piece of steel or iron that is sharp at both ends and bent in the middle.
• A metal ring is attached near the fold, and jingles or rings are attached along the sides at regular intervals.
• Sometimes there are seven pairs of jingles. The rings are pulled in a downward motion to produce the rattling sound.
• Larger ringed tongs are used in rural festivals, while smaller ringed tongs are often used as accompaniment to bhangra dancers and singers of traditional Indian hymns.

Notable Player

• Alam Lohar
• Kamal Heer
• Arif Lohar

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