Vishnupur Engraves on Conch Shell

Manasi Bandyopadhyay (Chakrabarti)

Conch shell engraving , the famous art work of Vishnupur,  has evokes my curiosity from adolescence . Some years ago, I went to the resident  of my husband's uncle in Vishnupur  and asked them about this engraving work. My aunt-in-law said, the most famous conch-shell engraver artist, a President Award Winner ,  is their neighbour. I went to his house with my brother-in-law Soumen and was literary speechless to see his work.

He was an old man but sign of age was only on his body.  he showed me his '' Durga with her family'' -- a tremendous art work ! It took  six month to finish this , he said.


On 2017, again I visited Vishnupur and went to their house. The famous President Award Winner artist is no more and  Siddhartha Nandi , his heir,  is doing the art work.  I  enquired about the process of making .

These artwork needs a special type of conch-shell (or Shankh / Shankha) which  comes from Cape Comorine. They have to buy one large bag and after checking keep aside the good ones. Sometimes they have to reject many and make other  things like bangles, ear-ornaments and so on with those. 

First the conch shell is to be cleaned and smoothed. Then  the figure is to be drawn on the conch shell with the pencil . Finally it is engraved with chisel.

After engraving polishing is needed to finish the work.

There are some solo figures which takes more or less three months to be finished.  These figures are usually of goddesses and gods. I did not ask the reason behind this but think that as conch shell is connected with Puja , these figures are chosen.

I also think that goddess Lakshmi is most appropriate figure on this conch shell because, according to Hindu Mythology, Lakshmi came out from the deep sea in the time of Samudra manthan ,  the conch shell is also the product of sea which is carried by Lord Narayana. 

There is a Krishna Figure too which Mr. Siddhartha Nandi showed me.  He is also doing  'Durga with her family '  which was under making then.

Another object is part conch shell work. It is less costly than the whole conch shell engravings. 

Thanks to the Delhi Handicrafts Museum, this work is very much popular  among foreign tourists. Mr. Nandi has also taken part in Bharat Mela in more than one year  and visited some foreign land too. but, he and his wife sadly says that  only this work is not sufficient for running the family. As one conch shell engraving work takes more than two and half months, and naturally price is high, they had to shift to other  works like making bangles, coarse engraving of flower motifs on other conch shell that serves worship purpose. Making of different conch shell items are also in his list as this have a ready market because of relatively cheapness.

Making items with coconut  shells is another diversification. Bowl, incense stick holder, ornaments and so on are in his list. I must confess that these ornaments made by coconut shell is exquisite.

These whole conch shell engraving work with solo figure costs INR 8000, the figure made with broken conch shell starts from INR 3500, Durga with her familly is over INR 10,000. The conch shell for puja starts from INR 700. I wanted to buy two conch shell bangles but he said shaankhaa is not for fashion purpose.

 I requested him to make a figure of Lakshmi for me . I am glad to say that I shall have it some days in October.

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