Editing Conch (section)

==Religion==
===Ancient Peru===
The [[Moche (culture)|Moche]] people of ancient [[Peru]] worshipped the sea and often depicted conch shells in their art.<ref>Berrin, Katherine & Larco Museum. ''The Spirit of Ancient Peru:Treasures from the [[Larco Museum|Museo Arqueológico Rafael Larco Herrera]].'' New York: [[Thames and Hudson]], 1997.</ref>

===Aztec===
[[Quetzalcoatl]], the [[Aztec]] god of wind and learning, wears around his neck the "wind breastplate" ''ehecailacocozcatl'', "the spirally voluted wind jewel" made of a conch shell. Blowing a conch was considered a religious act.<ref>{{cite magazine |first=Stephan F. |last=de Borhegyi |url=http://www.penn.museum/documents/publications/expedition/PDFs/8-4/The%20Wind.pdf |title=The Wind God's Breastplate |magazine=Expedition |date=Summer 1966 |page=13 |publisher=[[University of Pennsylvania Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology]]}}</ref>

===Hinduism===
{{main article|Shankha}}

[[File:Hindu priest blowing conch during punja.jpg|thumb|A Hindu priest blowing a ''shankha'' (a shell of ''Turbinella pyrum'') during a [[Puja (Hinduism)|''puja'']]]]
[[File:MET 244331.jpg|thumb|upright=.8|Ancient [[india]], carved conch with Lakshmi-Narayana, 11th–12th century]]

A ''shankha'' shell (the shell of a ''T. pyrum'', a species in the gastropod family [[Turbinellidae]]) is often referred to in the West as a conch shell or a chank shell. This shell is used as an important ritual object in [[Hinduism]]. The shell is used as a ceremonial trumpet, as part of religious practices, for example [[Puja (Hinduism)|''puja'']]. The chank trumpet is sounded during worship at specific points, accompanied by ceremonial bells and singing. As it is an [[Saubhagyalakshmi Upanishad|auspicious]] instrument, it is of purity and brilliance ([[Om]], [[Deva (Hinduism)|Devas]], [[Brahman]] the Almighty Supreme creator, referred to in [[mantra]]s, the [[Gāyatrī Mantra|Gayatri mantra]] explains a meditation on the brilliance of the sun), it is often played in a ''[[Lakshmi]] puja'' in temple or at home.

In the story of [[Dhruva]], the divine conch plays a special part. The warriors of ancient India blew conch shells to announce battle, as is described in the beginning of the war of Kurukshetra, in the Hindu epic the [[Mahabharata]].

The god of preservation, [[Vishnu]], is said to hold a special conch, Panchajanya, that represents life, as it has come out of life-giving waters. According to Hindu mythology, [[Deva (Hinduism)|Deva]]s (gods) and [[Asuras]] (demons) once decided to churn the ocean to get a special divine nectar. This divine nectar, also known as ''amrit'', was known to give immortality to whoever drank it. All the gods were on one side of it and the demons were on the other end. The churning (''[[samudra manthan]]'') produced a number of things from the ocean. One of the first things to come out of it was lethal poison called ''[[halahala]]''. Everyone was terrified, as the poison was potent enough to destroy entire creation, so they went to Lord Shiva for protection and he consumed the poison to safeguard the universe. Lord Shiva took the poison in his mouth, but did not swallow it. <!-- Later, some additional objects came out of the ocean such as Lakshmi (goddess of prosperity and beauty), Goddess of wine, Moon, divine Nymphs like Rambha- and Menakha, Uchhaishravas the divine seven headed White horse, Kaustubha a jewel, Parijata the celestial tree, Surabhi the cow of plenty, Airavata a white elephant, Dhanus a mighty bow and many more such things were produced. --> ''Shankha'' also was one of divine objects that was obtained from ''[[samudra manthan]].''{{citation needed|date=May 2020}}

Also, the sound of the conch is believed to drive away the evil spirits.{{citation needed|date=May 2020}}

The blowing of the conch or "the ''shankha''" needs a tremendous power and respiratory capacity. Hence, blowing it daily helps keep the lungs healthy.{{Citation needed|date=January 2012}}

A newlywed Bengali bride wears bangles called ''shakha paula'', made from coral and conch-shell powder. They have been a part of Bengali custom and tradition. In an ancient era, the Bengali farming community is thought to have resided near the river. They collected conch shells and powdered them to create bangles. They also used red coral for the bangles. They gave these beautiful bangles to their wives, as they could not afford ivory bangles. They were also known as poor-man's ivory, as they were cheap substitute for ivory bangles.<ref name="storify.com"/>