Satpal Maharaj’s statement on conch is the height of foolishness: Dhasmana
Conch is not a bone but the outer shell of a sea snail; Minister has neither scientific nor religious understanding, says Dhasmana
Satpal Maharaj’s statement on conch is the height of foolishness: Dhasmana
Conch is not a bone but the outer shell of a sea snail; Minister has neither scientific nor religious understanding, says Dhasmana
Dehradun, September 29
Strongly condemning the statement by senior Bharatiya Janata Party leader and Uttarakhand Cabinet Minister Satpal Maharaj that a conch is not blown at Badrinath Dham because it is made of bone, senior vice-president of the Pradesh Congress Committee Suryakant Dhasmana termed the statement “the height of foolishness.”
His remarks came against the backdrop of a cultural programme featuring loud DJ music and dancing that was organised at Shri Badrinath Dham in recent days, drawing objections from environmentalists and religious leaders.
Talking to journalists, Dhasmana said the influence of “bad company” had apparently led an otherwise well-educated leader like Satpal Maharaj to make statements that, according to him, were more characteristic of an ignorant person than a knowledgeable one.
He said that while the BJP claimed to be a champion of Sanatan Dharma, one of its senior ministers apparently did not even know what a conch was.
Dhasmana said a conch was not a bone. “According to science, a conch is the outer shell (exoskeleton) of a soft-bodied marine creature, a sea snail or mollusc. It is primarily composed of calcium carbonate, which is deposited by a layer of the creature’s body called the mantle. It neither contains blood or bone marrow nor is it formed inside the body like a bone,” he said.
He added that, unlike a bone, a conch is a hard external shell and has traditionally been regarded as sacred in Sanatan Dharma and used in temples and religious rituals, including abhishek.
Dhasmana said the traditional practice of not blowing a conch at Badrinath Dham was not related to the claim that it was made of bone, but was associated with religious beliefs and traditions.
Badrinath Dham is regarded as a place of meditation, yoga and penance. According to religious tradition, Lord Badrinarayan himself is absorbed in meditation. Therefore, a peaceful atmosphere is maintained so that meditation and penance are not disturbed. It is also believed in religious texts and traditions that gods, yakshas and sages continue to perform penance there, he said.
According to mythology, Goddess Lakshmi resides in the conch, while at Badrinath, Lakshmi is believed to be engaged in the service of Lord Vishnu. This is cited as one of the reasons why the conch is traditionally not blown there. Another legend associates the origin of the conch with the bones of the demon Shankhchud after his death. Dhasmana, however, said this was a symbolic mythological account and could not be taken as a scientific description of a conch.
Dhasmana said it was unfortunate that the Uttarakhand minister holding the Culture, Tourism and Dharmaswa portfolio did not, in his view, have a proper understanding of either the science or the mythology associated with the state’s revered Dhams.
He said the real issue was the organisation of dance and music accompanied by loud DJ systems in a sensitive Himalayan region such as Badrinath, which is an eco-sensitive area. According to him, such an event had not only compromised religious decorum but had also vindicated the concerns raised by environmentalists.
Dhasmana alleged that, in an attempt to deflect attention from the issue, Satpal Maharaj was now misleading the public by describing the conch as a bone.
He demanded that Satpal Maharaj apologise to the people of Uttarakhand and followers of Sanatan Dharma for his statement. He also urged Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami to clarify whether describing a conch as a bone represented the official understanding of the state government.
