Prayer Chimes

Did you know that clicking glasses before drinking is supposed to imitate the sound of church bells to scare away the devil? And that bells on anklets were worn by Buddhist monks to warn the bugs to get out of the way? These prayer chimes are traditionally used to focus and clear the mind before and after a teaching or meditation. The bugs get out of the way and the devil hides but it's the kids in our store who like this slowly fading sound of singing metal the most.

These prayer chimes are hand cast by Tibetan refugee artisans living in a metal craft colony in North India. While exiled from their homeland they are free to carry on craft traditions handed down from past generations of artisans living in old Tibet. They are called "Tingshas"