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Religious association
The conch shell is a major Hindu article of prayer, used as a trumpet and in order to get rid of negative energy and evil spirits. It is also used as a container for holy water ( shankha teertham ).
Lord Vishnu is said to hold a special conch, Panchajanya , that represents life as it has come out of life-giving waters. It is believed that Paanchajanya emerged during the churning of the Ksheerasagara by the devas and the asuras.
The conch shell is also sacred to the Buddhists. The right-coiling, white conch shell is one of the eight auspicious symbols of Tibetan and Nepali Buddhism.
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