Chengila is a kind of gong that helps the singer keep time in many traditional art forms of
Kerala including
Kathakali. It is a thick bell-metal disc hung by a strap looped through one wrist and struck with a short stout wand in the other hand. The range of sounds is limited. Struck when hung freely, it produces a ringing sound, while a flat tone is produced when it is in contact with the forearm that holds the instrument.
