Chimta

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Metal Instrument.

A chimta (Hindi/Urdu/Punjabi:चिमटा) literally meaning tongs, is a traditional percussion instrument of South Asia, often used in popular Punjabi Bhangra music. The chimta consists of a long, flat folded piece of metal steel strip, often with 7 pairs of small metal jingles. The rings are plucked in a downward motion to produce tinkling sounds.It is also used for cooking chapati in almost every Indian home.

Chimtas with large discs are used at rural festivals while ones with smaller discs are often used as an accompaniment to bhangra dancers and singers of traditional Indian hymns. The Late Alam Lohar is famous for playing this instrument and introducing it globally, today great musicians like Kamal Heer and Arif Lohar plays this instrument . Also known as the "rusty tamborine sword", the chimta has been spotted being played by members of the experimental rock band His Name Is Alive on recent tours.