Sea Shell Craft of Tamil Nadu

Sea shell craft came into existence in India after the arrival of Portuguese in Goa, where they used to adorn their doors and windows with sea shells.

In Ramanathapuram, district of Tamil Nadu, fishing community procures shells along with fishing and provides it to shell craft industry. This craft is also practiced in Kanchipuram and Kanniyakumari districts of Tamil Nadu. Kanniyakumari, as it is surrounded by water, is a great source for a variety of sea shells. Shells of different shapes and sizes are polished and cut into different shapes to make final products.

Colorful and fascinating decorative objects like birds and flowers are created using sea shells. Utility items like boxes, lamps, pen stands, door curtains and mirror frames covered with shells; mosaics and shell grottos are major constructs done with sea shells. Ornaments and embellishments are also made out of shells which are widely liked by people.

One of the many types of shell crafts is conch shell craft. Conch shell also known as shankh is considered auspicious in Asian countries. It is also sold in its natural forms – Valampuri and Edampuri shangu, conch shell is associated with Lord Vishnu and Goddess Shakti. Both are buried below the front steps of the house so that the residents are blessed with wealth and good health.

During the time of Pandya dynasty, ornaments were made out of conch shell. Archeological excavation shows that decoration of shell was done through inlay work and a number of buildings were decorated with conch shell. Ornaments, musical items, decorative items with figurine and floral crafts are some of the contemporary conch shell works. The shells are cleaned and ground to smooth the edges. Enamel paints are also used to add designs to the shells. The damaged shells are also utilized in a way of dhrishti porutkal, by attaching it with lemon and green chilies on a thread and suspended in doorways to ward off evil. Bench grinder or electric brush and channakal i.e. a grinding stone are two basic tools used.