The birth of Chaya

The story behind a unique handpan

The story of Chaya is one of remarkable coincidences, an unlikely encounter between two passionate handpan lovers: the maker, Rastislav Belko, and Henk-Jan Pelle, the owner of HandPanShop. In this blog, we'll take you on the journey of these handpan enthusiasts in creating a unique musical instrument that now ranks among the world's best-selling handpans.

The birth of Chaya

Rastislav fell in love with the handpan when he first heard it. However, turning his dream of making one into reality was no easy task. He began crafting the necessary tools in his garage in Slovakia. It was an adventurous path filled with failures and challenges, but the desire to create something new was stronger than ever. Initially, he named his work ŽIVA, derived from the Slovak word Život, meaning 'life.'
A prime example of his early attempts was the welded stand he made himself or the first temporary tuning rings that barely produced a tone. He designed modern lightweight tuning rings. Sound holes were created using a press, cone, and flanges, and the rest of the process was completed by hand. PVC templates were used to determine the precise location of the tone fields.

Building the first handpan

Rastislav moved his workshop to a music studio in Slovakia. Crafting the handpan was only half the work; tuning was the other half. He recalls the first tone he heard after nine hours of tuning, unstable but present. And each tone taught him more about the nature of steel. Rastislav completed his very first handpan and gave it to the workshop's porter. This marked the end of an intensive creative process.

Building the second generation of handpans

During the manufacture process, Rastislav realized there was ample room for improvement. This led him to the second generation of handpans. He designed more precise semi-circular metal shells and developed new tools. These handpans could even be beautifully engraved with symbols. The process of nitrating was perfected, enhancing the sound and corrosion resistance of the handpans. All of this was done through craftsmanship.

Third generation of handpans:
The birth of the Chaya brand

In 2019, the paths of Rastislav and Henk-Jan crossed. Henk-Jan started a shop for handpans and was in search of new instruments. He discovered a beautiful handpan that Rastislav once had created, and this marked the beginning of a close friendship. Together, they decided to revive the art of handpan crafting and created the Chaya brand, derived from the Hebrew word Chayim, meaning 'life.'

These more beautiful and better-sounding handpans began to attract the attention of many well-known professional musicians, such as Marko Bandera.

Advancements in 2022

In 2022, Rastislav and Henk-Jan aimed to go even further. They designed a special sound chamber to enhance the resonance and sound of the handpans. They began using Ember steel with a high chrome titanium alloy and experimented with new design elements. Creativity was paramount. Currently, they are in the process of experimenting with new shapes, sounds, and techniques.

Chaya® has its own website, where you can find much more information. Visit www.chayahandpan.com. Here you will also find the complete origin story of the unique Chaya® handpan. The Chaya® handpans are available in our webshop.