HORNELL THE INDIAN CONCH 37 



chank for the same purpose as the bangle, a fragment of the capsule (chanku-pu, literally 

 " chank-flower ") being tied by means of thread upon babies' wrists. 



In Madura chank amulets are used even more freely than in Tinnevelly. In addition 

 to bangles and rings used as amulets against the evil eye, or ailments such as chedi 

 and pimples, very roughly fashioned and imperfectly rounded fragments of chank 

 shells are used in the manner of beads to make necklaces which are used as amulets. 

 Maravans, Paraiyans, and Chakkiliyans are among the castes chiefly addicted to the 

 wearing of these and other chank amulets ; these people often give their children both 

 chank-bangles and necklaces of chank-beads with a view to multiplying the counter- 

 vailing influences against the evil eye and against disease. 



Chank-bead necklaces (chanku malai) are also worn largely by children of the 

 poorer Chettis and of the Vanniyans (oilmongers) who, though they do not generally 

 wear chank-bangles, will wear these chank-bead necklaces. The people of the lower 

 castes also use the same rough beads to make bracelets (chanku pasi) worn on the wrists 

 for the same object as the bead necklaces. Similar customs in regard to rings and 

 bead necklaces prevail in Tan j ore and in South Arcot, where the low castes, especially 

 Vanniyans, Koravans, Paraiyans, Chakkiliyans and wandering Lambadis, generally 

 wear them as amulets against evil spirits, the evil eye and sickness. Koratti women 

 appear to be the only ones in South Arcot who wear bead bracelets in addition to other 

 bangles according to information kindly supplied by the Collector, Mr. Azizuddin. 



The trade in these amulets is of considerable dimensions. Thus the Tahsildar 

 of Chidambaram reports that rings worth about Rs. 500 are sold yearly in his taluk 

 to the residents and to the thousands of devotees who flock to the great temple of 

 Nataraja. The price runs from two pies to one anna per ring some are very rough 

 untrimmed Strombus rings, while the higher priced may be of real chank with a few 

 oblique lines of ornament sawed or filed on the outer surface. 



The rough beads used in making necklaces and bracelets look very much like tiny 

 carpal bones ; they sell about eight beads for one pie a whole necklace may be 

 bought for one anna ; the small bangles worn by babies in Madura and Tinnevelly cost 

 3 to 5 annas per pair. The latter are made largely in Kilakarai, a large Muhammadan 

 settlement on the Ramnad coast, near the head of the Gulf of Mannar. The majority 

 are cut chiefly from under-sized shells too small to have any value in the Bengal market. 

 By rights these shells should not be fished ; they should be put back alive by the divers 

 in order to grow to adult dimensions. This precaution is followed as far as circumstances 

 permit in the Tuticorin chank fishery which is conducted departmentally by the 

 Government of Madras ; in the Ramnad fishery the short-sighted greed of the renter 

 and his employees takes no account of any such precaution for the future prosperity 

 of the fishery. 



