Tibetan Buddhist Hand Carved Black Mahakala Carved Conch Shell Horn

Black Mahakala Carved Conch Shell Horn

 Conch Shell Horn – Shankha – The Ceremonial Trumpet

The conch shell, also known as Shankha in local term; is an emblem of power, authority and sovereignty. Its blast is believed to banish evil spirits, avert natural disasters, and scare poisonous creatures. In Buddhism, the conch was adopted as a symbol of religious sovereignty and an emblem which fearlessly proclaimed the truth of the dharma. One of the 32 signs of a Buddha’s body is his deep and resonant voice, which is artistically symbolized in images of the Buddha by three conch-like curving lines on his throat. Shells which spiral to the right are very rare and 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 like swirl of his navel.

A shell is made into ritual musical instruments by cutting off the end of its tip and furnishing it with a mouthpiece and an ornamental metal casing extending from the shell’s mouth. The conch shells made in Nepal and Tibet are usually carved with elaborate designs which contains the deities or Buddhist auspicious symbols carved on the shell. The Conch Shell has special significance in Buddhist religion. The Conch Shell are used by Buddhist Monks in Nepal and Tibet during religious ceremonies and festivals.

About this Ritual Item

This is a finely hand carved Conch Shell – Shankha – The Ceremonial Ritual Trumpet. It has Black Mahakala carvings in the center. The hand carvings are done very finely throughout the Conch Shell which was done in Patan, Nepal by master artisans who are considered among the best in the world.