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Dakshinavarti Shankh, Valampuri Sanggu; Tamil: வலம்புரி சங்கு or Sri Lakshmi Shankh, is a sacred Hindu object otherwise known in English as a conch shell. This is the shell of a large sea snail from the Indian Ocean (a shell of the species ''Turbinella pyrum''), but one that has the very rare reverse-turning spiral. In other words, when it is held with the spout (siphonal canal) pointed up, this conch's spiral twists rightwards (dakshinavarti) rather than very much more common form, which twists leftwards (vamavarti).〔(【引用サイトリンク】url= http://www.navaratna-museum.info )〕〔(【引用サイトリンク】url= http://www.p-g-a.org/valampuri-artl.html )〕 ==True vs. fake== The genuine Lakshmi Shank is a sinistral conch shell from the Indian Ocean, and certainly not a (superficially similar) sinistral whelk species from Florida, USA. A true Valampuri shell is a species in the gastropod genus ''Turbinella'' L. The most common species is ''Turbinella pyrum'' L. It is important to note that only the rare sinistral variety of ''Turbinella'' species is a true Lakshmi Shankh. This kind of shell is very rare in its occurrence. Other right-turning sea snail shells of a similar shape, such as the lightning whelk ''Busycon perversum'', are often mistakenly sold and worshiped in place of the genuine Shank. However, the real Lakshmi Shank has 3 to 7 ridges or plaits on its columella, whereas whelk shells does not show the presence of such plaits on its columella. The so-called "flower-bud opening test", and the "rice pulling test" (Valampuri said to rise up through a rice heap) are non scientific. The best authenticity test is to take an X-ray image of the Valampuri. Valampuries do show some morphological variation depending on origin, and shells with mixed characters of two adjacent localities are also seen. In South India, people trust only the Rameshwaram type of Valampuries, and do not trust other varieties from West Coast and Bay of Bengal, though these are also the true Valampuries. 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「Dakshinavarti Shankh」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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