132 



buried in deep mud. Large good-conditioned sinistral 

 shells, obtained alive and therefore of good colour, still 

 command high rates — anything from Rs. 400 to Rs. 5,000 

 or more, so infrequently are they found. 



The method of estimating the approximate value of 

 these latter shells is as follows: — If the shell be of 100 

 rupees' weight or over (one standard rupee coin weighs 

 exactly one tola, 2^ tolas =^ one ounce) the value is cal- 

 culated at the rate of Rs. 50 per tola or rupee's weight ; 

 thus a shell of 1 10 rupees' weight would be estimated 

 according to this method at Rs. 5,500. When the weight 

 is between 30 and 100 tolas then the rate per tola may 

 be taken at Rs. 1,0 to 40 per tola according to size and 

 quality ; a 50 tola weight shell would be worth from 

 Rs. 1,500 to Rs. 2,000. If of 25 tolas weight, the rate 

 may vary from Rs. 5 to Rs. 20 per tola. 



Wealthy Hindu Rajas and Zamindars also aspire to 

 possess these sacrosanct shells, the orthodox in order that 

 they may use them to perform abeyshekain * in their 

 family shrine and others for the ostentatious pride of 

 possession and because of the superstition generally 

 cuiTent which accounts the ownership of a Valampuri 

 chank as conferring prosperity upon the household where 

 it resides. I know also a wealthy Muhammadan 

 Marakayar who has refused offers of several hundreds 

 of rupees for one of these shells; to him the shell is a 

 mascot, the bringer of good luck. 



Among the ignorant who usually have never even 

 seen a \/alampuri chank, the belief is prevalent in Tamil 

 South India that it bJows of its own accord durinor the 

 night ; even the Roman Catholic chank divers of Tuti- 

 corin entertain this quaint superstition, and say that the 

 shell is specially clamorous on Tuesday and Friday 

 nights ! A yogi when controlling or retaining his breath 

 is also credited with hearing the sound of a Valampuri 

 chank blowing within his abdomen though why the 

 rumbling should be that of a Valampuri and not of an 

 ordinary chank is hard to answer. 



Worship of the chank as one of the three essential 

 articles used in domestic worship among Brahmans 

 should occupy an important part in the daily liturgy of 



The worship of the gods with libations. 



