Editing Syahi (section)

== Application ==
[[File:apply-syahi.jpg|upright|thumb|A Pakistani craftsman applying the syahi (Hyderabad, Sind, Pakistan - circa 1977)]]
The application of the syahi is very involved. It starts with a base layer of [[mucilage]], followed by the application of numerous thin layers of ''syahi masala'' (flour, water, iron filings and other secret ingredients), which are then rubbed with a stone. Not all of the layers are the same size. But the final product is expected to exhibit a specific shape.

The stone abrasion is crucial to creating the syahi. The material from which the syahi is made is inherently inflexible; if it were simply applied in a single layer and allowed to harden, it would not allow the drum to vibrate freely. The process of rubbing or polishing with the stone creates a tight [[latticework]] of cracks which extend down to the very base of the syahi, allowing the skin to resonate freely, despite the inherent inflexibility of the syahi's.