The Thammattam Kadippu is a pair of traditional Sri Lankan drumsticks, sold here as a standalone set, made to be played with the Thammattama — the twin-faced drum, also known as the Pokuru Beraya, that drummers tie around their waist during religious ceremonies and cultural processions. Without these sticks, the drum cannot speak; the kadippu are as integral to the instrument's voice as the drum-skins themselves.
Each stick is built with care from materials that reflect a long craft tradition. The shafts are formed from split cane or bamboo, light enough for the rapid, nuanced strokes the Thammattama demands. The striking head at one end is wrapped in red fabric, shaped into a firm teardrop form that delivers a controlled, rounded blow to the drum-face. At the handle end, the two sticks are joined by a looped structure of white cord binding, with two circular cane rings fitted and secured at that junction — a construction that keeps the pair together when held but allows each stick to swing freely when playing. When spread apart for use, each stick reveals its own individual cord loop and cane ring, the symmetry of the pair made apparent.
The Thammattama has two drum-faces with distinct characters: the smaller face, known as the Handabeya, produces a higher-pitched tone and is played with the right hand, while the larger Mandama face yields a lower, fuller sound played with the left. A player rarely strikes both sides with equal pressure; the interplay of those differing tones, shaped by varying force and rhythm, is what gives the instrument its expressive range. The kadippu must move between those two faces without pause, which is why their balance and construction matter.
In Sri Lankan Buddhist tradition, the Thammattama is not a solo voice. It is played alongside the Dawula drum as part of the ensemble heard at temple ceremonies, shrine offerings, and religious processions — music that has accompanied ritual life on the island for many centuries, with the tradition's roots tracing back through Buddhist cultural exchange with the Indian subcontinent. The art of playing the Thammattama is still taught formally at drumming schools across Sri Lanka, ensuring the practice continues to live in performance rather than only in memory.
This listing offers the kadippu sticks as a pair, available in a standard size or in a 30 cm variant. They are a practical choice for students learning to play the Thammattama, for performers who need a replacement set, or for those who wish to keep a piece of Sri Lankan ceremonial craft in their collection.
