Molluscs in Maharashtra: ancient symbols, modern shells

In Hindu sacred writings, the first incarnation of the god Vishnu took place in order to destroy the demon chank Shankhasura and regain the Vedas (sacred texts) which he had stolen and taken to his lair at the bottom of the sea. The defeated chank is one of the most important of Vishnu’s symbols and he is usually depicted in his human form holding a sinistral form of the shell in his hand (Figure 1). The use of the chank shell, Turbinella pyrum, in Indian belief and culture has been well documented. David Heppell made visits to India in the 1980s specifically to study the chank shell industry which includes both the making of chank shell bangles worn by married Hindu women (largely confined to Bengal) and preparation for its use in Hindu temples across the whole of India (See http://www.princelystates.com/ArchivedFeatures/fa-03- 03a.shtml). Fred Pinn, in an article for the “Conchologists’ Newsletter”(No.84, p.59,1983), wrote of the use of sacred chank shell trumpets as a call to battle as described in the Mahabarata, one of the world’s oldest epics, dating in its written form from c.500 BC.

On a recent family visit to the eastern province of Maharashtra, we saw images of the sacred chank dating from the early centuries AD to the modern era. At both ancient Hindu and Buddhist sites such as the Ellora and Ajanta caves the chank shell was depicted in carving (figure 1) and also as part of the remarkable murals depicting scenes from the life and previous incarnations of Buddha at Ajunta dating from the 5th century AD (figure 2).

In 18th century Hindu temples in the holy city of Nasik there were later carvings of chank shells and we saw chanks used as libation vessels during religious ceremonies. In the precincts of one temple a small stall sold simple chank shell trumpets which were “tested” by the stallholder prior to purchase, where the better looking shells were discarded in favour of ones that made a good sound! In the railway town of Bhusawal near Jalgaon we visited a modern temple of the monkey deity Hanuman where a simple dextral chank shell trumpet took pride of place (figure 3) together with a naturally sinistral Busycon contrarium from the USA as a poor substitute for the ultra rare left handed and revered Turbinella pyrum. Most chank shells in Maharashtra are not locally sourced.

Living non-marine molluscs were also few and far between in the dry winter season apart from an interesting Ariophantid snail of the genus Machrochlamys in a hotel garden at Nasik (Figure 4). The Tapti river at Bhusawal was low and species including Lymnaea acuminata f. brevissima and shells of the river mussel Lamellidens consobrinus were found in pools left by the receding river.

figure 2: 5th century AD Chank shell painting on the roof of a Vihara, Ajanta caves, Maharashtra.

figure 3: Simple chank shell trumpet, Hanuman Temple, Bhusawal.

figure 4: Machrochlamys sp. Nasik.

figure 5: Pools by Tapti river, Bhusawal.