Pung Drum Making of Manipur

The Pung is a two-headed barrel drum that forms the rhythmic core of Manipuri classical music, Sankirtana devotional performance, and Ras Lila dance. Sankirtana of Manipur is listed by UNESCO as an intangible cultural heritage. The Pung shell is carved from a single piece of jackwood (nongmangkhong) into a barrel shape. The two drum heads are made from goat skin stretched over metal rings and laced together with cotton cord. A paste of ash and cooked rice (siyao) applied to the drum heads tunes the pitch. The inner chamber and skin thickness are calibrated by the maker through listening. Only Meitei craftsmen of the Imphal valley and Bishnupur district possess traditional Pung-making knowledge. A finished Pung takes three to five working days. Demand from Manipuri classical music schools and cultural institutions across India sustains the craft.