The conch shell is thought to have been the horn-trumpet; ancient Indian mythical epics relate heroes carrying conch shells.

The Indian god Vishnu is also described as having a conch shell as one of his main emblems; his shell bore the name Panchajanya meaning ‘having control over the five classes of beings.

Description

The conch shell is an emblem of power, authority and sovereignty; its blast is believed to banish evil spirits, avert natural disasters, and scare away poisonous creatures. In Indian culture, different types of conch shell were associated with the different castes and with male and female.

Feature

Shells which spiral to the right are considered especially sacred, the right spiral mirroring the motion of the sun, moon, planets and stars across the sky.

Also, the hair whorls on Buddha’s head spiral to the right, as do his fine bodily hairs, the long white curl between his eyebrows and the conch.