The Om Bowl, that’s what Abhinav calls it. From the moment I saw it – and heard it – I was fascinated. It’s this circular metal bowl that produced a sound of peaceful stillness when you gently run the accompanying  wooden stick around it.

In the video, you may have to strain your ears to hear the sound since the wind was really roaring at that point in the evening. (It’s better with headphones on). We found it in the lone antique shop in Nako village in upper Kinnaur. There’s very sparse reading material available on these bowls – they are apparently called ‘Tibetan Singing Bowls’ – and they are actually a type of bell, rather than a bowl.

While I had already started imaging all kinds of music and related creations from the time I heard the Singing Bowl, I later found that it is used extensively in traditional healing and meditation. So much for being a discoverer. But that hasn’t dampened my enthusiasm for the Singing Bowls – au contraire, I am even more excited to learn more and be a part of the rediscovery of the centuries-old musical and healing mechanism.

(PS: It might take some time because I seem to be taking time learning how to play it).