Dakshinavarti Shankh is also called Valampuri Sanggu, or Sri Lakshmi Shankh, or Right Handed Shankh. It is a sacred Hindu object otherwise known as a conch shell in English. 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. When it is held with the spout (siphonal canal) pointed up, its spiral twists rightwards rather than very much more common form, which twists leftwards.