• Sri Lankan Traditional Hakgediya, with Brass Mouthpiece and brass work
• Large sea mollusk shell with trumpet sound
• Its trumpet sound is heard at festivals, weddings, and auspicious occasions. • A unique and traditional musical instrument. • Perfect for those interested in Sri Lankan culture. • Category Path: Media, Music & Books>Musical Instruments>Traditional Instruments.
Sri Lankan folk music is rhythmic, layered and lilting. It combines the beat of the drum with the chink of tiny cymbals, and the call of the flute with the crescendo of a strong pair of lungs. This pulsing music is made by a whole host of traditional instruments, which are in turn made with local materials using traditional methods.
The hakgediya is a type of conch shell (the shell of a large marine gastropod mollusk) which is used as a kind of trumpet in the traditional ritualistic music and religious folk art-music of Sri Lanka, which has been somewhat influenced by Indian music. The hakgediya is an aerophone, or Susira (wind instrument or aerophone in the language of Pali). This instrument was used mainly in Theravada Buddhist artistic rituals which also involved other categories of instruments such as Ghana, Avanaddha, and Tat (idiophones, membranophones and chordophones respectively).
The conch or hakgediya was also a symbol of prosperity and good luck.
It was also an integral and important part of the kohomba poruwa.