Shell-Trumpets and their Distribution. 37 



often seen in North Arcot and the Southern Deccan, 

 announcing his arrival in a village by blasts on the chank 

 shell." 



In Malabar, at the ceremony of the bringing in of the 

 first fruits, the priest comes forth from the local temple, 

 preceded by a man blowing a conch. 



Similarly in Siam, conch-shell music is employed at 

 religious ceremonies connected with the ploughing festival. 

 The principal figure at these ceremonies is the Minister of 

 Agriculture, who is borne in a palanquin to the field with 

 an escort of priests blowing loud blasts on chank shells. 1 "' 



At weddings, among all Hindu non-Brahman castes 

 in the districts of the south of India, the chank is blown 

 by the barber (ambattan) particularly at or immediately 

 after the tying of the tali or marriage badge round the 

 bride's neck. In Bengal this custom of chank-blowing 

 during weddings is even more general. 



Though men are usually engaged to blow the chank 

 at weddings, the women of the family or of the particular 

 caste sometimes perform this duty. 



A further interesting use of chank-trumpets is in con- 

 nection with the rite of circumcision which survives among 

 the P u ram ali nadu Kalians. This rite is carried out in a 

 grove or plain outside the village, and the chank is blown 

 at frequent intervals en route and throughout the cere- 

 mony. 34 



Throughout the Tamil country all non-Brahman castes 

 which observe Hindu rites have the chank sounded at 

 death ceremonies. The chank sometimes has a place in 

 the death ceremonies of castes which are not Hinduised, 

 as the Cherumans of Malabar and Cochin. Here the 

 chank- trumpet is used for devil-driving."' 



33 Hornell. op. cit., p. 144. 

 3 * Ibid. pp. 144-5. 

 86 Ibid. pp. 148-9. 



