'SANKH-EY SANKH-EY MANGAL GAAO ...'
We know of the high position that conch shells have enjoyed in ancient India , starting from their use as war trumpet or in religious rituals . But what many people do not know is that a fantastic genre of art called shankha shilpa turned these dead sea molluscs into artistic wonders .
We now know that the use of Conch shell as ornaments dated back to the times of Indus civilization . Who can forget the bangle covered hand of the bronze dancing girl at Harappa ?! The tradition still survives in the area of erstwhile Indus civilization ... most notably in the hands of Rajashthani women .
But it is undoubtedly the Bengalis who have upheld the true glory of Sankha through the ages ... through the prolific use of conch in almost all rituals ( be it marriage , upanayan , annaprasana or puja ) .... through the daily blowing at Bengali homes every evening .... or through conch shell jewelry .
The Pala empire saw production of outstanding pieces of conch shell carving more than one thousand years ago . The tradition later died down in its land of birth , but was exported to the northern states along with buddhism and still continues in Tibet , Nepal and other Himalayan kingdoms .
Bengal even had a seperate caste , the 'Sankhaarees' whose work was to craft conch shells . Today it is another dying art . The exiquisite craftsmanship of Pala times is extinct . Whatever survives is mainly due to a demand of shaankaa - conch bangles that Bengali ladies wear as symbols of marital bliss .
And many Bengalis would know of the tale of the great mother goddess begging her husband Shiva to buy her a pair of 'saankhaa' bangles . The story has been told and retold over generations through numerous Mangal-kavyas and local folklores . Apart from its religious significance it also reflects the medieval era popularity of conch jewelry amongst womenfolk . The goddess begs for not gold or silver .. but mere carved shell bangles ! And when you take a look into the works of saankhaarees , you know why ...
We know of the high position that conch shells have enjoyed in ancient India , starting from their use as war trumpet or in religious rituals . But what many people do not know is that a fantastic genre of art called shankha shilpa turned these dead sea molluscs into artistic wonders .
We now know that the use of Conch shell as ornaments dated back to the times of Indus civilization . Who can forget the bangle covered hand of the bronze dancing girl at Harappa ?! The tradition still survives in the area of erstwhile Indus civilization ... most notably in the hands of Rajashthani women .
But it is undoubtedly the Bengalis who have upheld the true glory of Sankha through the ages ... through the prolific use of conch in almost all rituals ( be it marriage , upanayan , annaprasana or puja ) .... through the daily blowing at Bengali homes every evening .... or through conch shell jewelry .
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| Pala era carved ritual conch |
The Pala empire saw production of outstanding pieces of conch shell carving more than one thousand years ago . The tradition later died down in its land of birth , but was exported to the northern states along with buddhism and still continues in Tibet , Nepal and other Himalayan kingdoms .
Bengal even had a seperate caste , the 'Sankhaarees' whose work was to craft conch shells . Today it is another dying art . The exiquisite craftsmanship of Pala times is extinct . Whatever survives is mainly due to a demand of shaankaa - conch bangles that Bengali ladies wear as symbols of marital bliss .
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| Pala conch art showing Vishnu on Garuda |
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| A conch sculptor or 'Saankhaaree' . By Solvyns , 18th century |
And many Bengalis would know of the tale of the great mother goddess begging her husband Shiva to buy her a pair of 'saankhaa' bangles . The story has been told and retold over generations through numerous Mangal-kavyas and local folklores . Apart from its religious significance it also reflects the medieval era popularity of conch jewelry amongst womenfolk . The goddess begs for not gold or silver .. but mere carved shell bangles ! And when you take a look into the works of saankhaarees , you know why ...
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| Antique 'saankhaa' bangles . Carved conch and red lac |
