Manjira
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Manjira are small, finger cymbals from India, Tibet, and Pakistan. They are played in pairs with each cymbal tuned to a different note. The left hand holds one cymbal while the right hand taps out the sounds with the other. A variety of effects can be achieved by striking different parts of the manjira together. They are used in religious and state festivities and produce a bright and shimmering sound.
| Family |
| Percussions |
| Pitch range |
| None. |
| Material |
| Brass or bronze, connected by a long string. |
| Size |
| About 2 in (5 cm) in diameter. |
| Origins |
| Manjira and other small cymbals are used as time-keepers and for many other kinds of music all over Tibet, India, Pakistan, and South-east Asia, from dance to Hindu devotional singing. |
| Classification |
| Idiophone: an instrument that produces its sound through the use of the material from which it is made, without needing strings or a stretched skin. |
| And also... |
| In certain Asian dances, up to 20 pairs of manjira are tied to the dancer's legs, elbows, and back, and are struck with another pair of manjira held in the dancer's hands. |
