Guest guest Posted April 4, 2004 Report Share Posted April 4, 2004 In many of the North East Indian (especially Bengali ) ceremonies, no Arati is complete without blowing a conch shell . And it is usually the womenfolk that are the expert conch blowers . Not this woman though. Last night, I had the honor of performing the Arati at the Mandir. And after the Arati, my hands itched to take up the conch and blow it as well as I could. The results were pathetic - I privately think that the conch was out to get me and embarass me in front of the devotees , not to mention Maa and Swamiji . The conch was most uncooperative - very difficult , stubborn and not to mention silent . A few whooshes and squeals and other disgruntled sounds later , I gave up with disdain . "I'll be back" , I vowed, just like the present guv'nor of California. Oh, and Swamiji was blowing a perfect sound with his conch and gave me an amused look. Glad I made someone happy, so my efforts werent entirely wasted. Question is - how to blow a conch ? Can anyone share their expertise - this is the time to trumpet your skills. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted April 4, 2004 Report Share Posted April 4, 2004 Oh Latha, I know it isn't easy. It reminds me of my time in Northern India when I was staying at a Tibetan Buddhist Temple. There was a new little incarnation called Kalu Rimpoche. He was only 2 and 1/2 years old and he wanted with all his heart to be able to blow the temple horns. He would spend 1/2 hour to 3/4 hour with full attention working on trying to get the horn to sound. He had no success. But the next day he was back in the temple giving it his all. By the time he was three he was not only blowing the horn, he was giving empowerments and blessings. So... don't give up! "Latha Nanda" <lathananda > Sun, 04 Apr 2004 17:32:27 -0000 Blowing a conch In many of the North East Indian (especially Bengali ) ceremonies, no Arati is complete without blowing a conch shell . And it is usually the womenfolk that are the expert conch blowers . Not this woman though. Last night, I had the honor of performing the Arati at the Mandir. And after the Arati, my hands itched to take up the conch and blow it as well as I could. The results were pathetic - I privately think that the conch was out to get me and embarass me in front of the devotees , not to mention Maa and Swamiji . The conch was most uncooperative - very difficult , stubborn and not to mention silent . A few whooshes and squeals and other disgruntled sounds later , I gave up with disdain . "I'll be back" , I vowed, just like the present guv'nor of California. Oh, and Swamiji was blowing a perfect sound with his conch and gave me an amused look. Glad I made someone happy, so my efforts werent entirely wasted. Question is - how to blow a conch ? Can anyone share their expertise - this is the time to trumpet your skills. / <?subject=Un> Terms of Service <> . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted April 4, 2004 Report Share Posted April 4, 2004 latha you have such a sense of humor, you always make me laugh. , "Latha Nanda" <lathananda> wrote: > In many of the North East Indian (especially Bengali ) ceremonies, > no Arati is complete without blowing a conch shell . > > And it is usually the womenfolk that are the expert conch blowers . > > Not this woman though. > > Last night, I had the honor of performing the Arati at the Mandir. > And after the Arati, my hands itched to take up the conch and blow > it as well as I could. > > The results were pathetic - I privately think that the conch was > out to get me and embarass me in front of the devotees , not to > mention Maa and Swamiji . > > The conch was most uncooperative - very difficult , stubborn and not > to mention silent . A few whooshes and squeals and other disgruntled > sounds later , I gave up with disdain . "I'll be back" , I vowed, > just like the present guv'nor of California. > > Oh, and Swamiji was blowing a perfect sound with his conch and gave > me an amused look. Glad I made someone happy, so my efforts werent > entirely wasted. > > Question is - how to blow a conch ? Can anyone share their > expertise - this is the time to trumpet your skills. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted April 5, 2004 Report Share Posted April 5, 2004 Dear Latha, I enjoyed this post. I've had the same embarrassing experience, long ago. Just now blowing my conch to see if there are any tips I can give you. It is like blowing a trumpet, but if you're not familiar with that skill, that doesn't help much. It seems to work most consistently when you "purse" the lips (kind of a wide, tight, pucker) quite tightly, and press the conch firmly against your lips. Keeping the cheeks tight might also help, though it can be done with cheeks puffed out too, but I find that a little harder. The main key is the right air pressure for the particular conch shell that you're blowing. Each conch shell has it's own note, and requires a specific amount of air pressure to cause that note to sound. When you get the pressure right, the note just jumps right out. Then if you keep that pressure steadily, you can sustain the note for as long as you have the breath. The easiest thing is to blow the same conch regularly, because then you'll quickly become familiar with the exact amount of pressure that particular conch requires. Then you'll get the note going right away, without the other miscellaneous sounds (or lack of them) before you find the right pressure. After you get good with one shell, you can try another and see how it is the same technique, but with a different breath pressure required to get the unique note of the different conch shell. Once you've done this with several different conches, you'll have less difficulty picking up an unfamiliar conch and finding the right pressure to sound it. Good luck and let us know how you do! Jai Ma! Dharmananda , "Latha Nanda" <lathananda> wrote: > In many of the North East Indian (especially Bengali ) ceremonies, > no Arati is complete without blowing a conch shell . > > And it is usually the womenfolk that are the expert conch blowers . > > Not this woman though. > > Last night, I had the honor of performing the Arati at the Mandir. > And after the Arati, my hands itched to take up the conch and blow > it as well as I could. > > The results were pathetic - I privately think that the conch was > out to get me and embarass me in front of the devotees , not to > mention Maa and Swamiji . > > The conch was most uncooperative - very difficult , stubborn and not > to mention silent . A few whooshes and squeals and other disgruntled > sounds later , I gave up with disdain . "I'll be back" , I vowed, > just like the present guv'nor of California. > > Oh, and Swamiji was blowing a perfect sound with his conch and gave > me an amused look. Glad I made someone happy, so my efforts werent > entirely wasted. > > Question is - how to blow a conch ? Can anyone share their > expertise - this is the time to trumpet your skills. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted April 5, 2004 Report Share Posted April 5, 2004 Dear Latha, I have really been enjoying the "blowing a conch" stories. I remember once participating in a very serious puja at a Temple I used to go to....at the end of it, 4 very serious guys picked up the conches and NO ONE could get theirs to sound properly. It was like being in a small enclosure with a herd of elephants..everyone started to crack up, even the pujari ...the guys kept getting redder and redder as they strained to get a sound out of the conches...but all that came out were honking, bleating, trumpeting elephant sounds. The atmosphere in the Temple was charged from all of the puja that had gone on and people were finding it hard not to just fall on the floor in laughter. Finally, one of the swamis came over and took the conch and blew it "properly"... Some very very mischevious conch devas must have been having a wonderful time that night! still laughing when I think about it, sadhvi Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted April 5, 2004 Report Share Posted April 5, 2004 Delightful narrative! The narrative style reminded me of Paramahansa Yogananda's book "Autobiography of a Yogi". Yogananda... Lathananda.... that rhymes! hmm! or is it more than just coincidental? Anyway, Latha, great work! keep it up. Jai Ma! , "Latha Nanda" <lathananda> wrote: > In many of the North East Indian (especially Bengali ) ceremonies, > no Arati is complete without blowing a conch shell . > > And it is usually the womenfolk that are the expert conch blowers . > > Not this woman though. > > Last night, I had the honor of performing the Arati at the Mandir. > And after the Arati, my hands itched to take up the conch and blow > it as well as I could. > > The results were pathetic - I privately think that the conch was > out to get me and embarass me in front of the devotees , not to > mention Maa and Swamiji . > > The conch was most uncooperative - very difficult , stubborn and not > to mention silent . A few whooshes and squeals and other disgruntled > sounds later , I gave up with disdain . "I'll be back" , I vowed, > just like the present guv'nor of California. > > Oh, and Swamiji was blowing a perfect sound with his conch and gave > me an amused look. Glad I made someone happy, so my efforts werent > entirely wasted. > > Question is - how to blow a conch ? Can anyone share their > expertise - this is the time to trumpet your skills. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted April 5, 2004 Report Share Posted April 5, 2004 a looooonnng time ago i played the trumpet. the thing is, you have to keep the tension in your lips. it's all happening in the lips. if you let the air and pressure go into your cheeks, you can actually rupture that muscle. so go easy, serious conch blowers! steve , "nityashakti" <sadhvi@p...> wrote: > Dear Latha, > I have really been enjoying the "blowing a conch" stories. I > remember once participating in a very serious puja at a Temple I > used to go to....at the end of it, 4 very serious guys picked up the > conches and NO ONE could get theirs to sound properly. It was like > being in a small enclosure with a herd of elephants..everyone > started to crack up, even the pujari ...the guys kept getting redder > and redder as they strained to get a sound out of the conches...but > all that came out were honking, bleating, trumpeting elephant > sounds. The atmosphere in the Temple was charged from all of the > puja that had gone on and people were finding it hard not to just > fall on the floor in laughter. Finally, one of the swamis came over > and took the conch and blew it "properly"... Some very very > mischevious conch devas must have been having a wonderful time that > night! > still laughing when I think about it, > sadhvi Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted April 5, 2004 Report Share Posted April 5, 2004 Oh Sadvi, That is hilarious. I know just how embarrassing a conch can sound. I agree about the mischievous conch devas... "nityashakti" <sadhvi (AT) prodigy (DOT) net> Mon, 05 Apr 2004 16:49:49 -0000 RE: blowing a conch Dear Latha, I have really been enjoying the "blowing a conch" stories. I remember once participating in a very serious puja at a Temple I used to go to....at the end of it, 4 very serious guys picked up the conches and NO ONE could get theirs to sound properly. It was like being in a small enclosure with a herd of elephants..everyone started to crack up, even the pujari ...the guys kept getting redder and redder as they strained to get a sound out of the conches...but all that came out were honking, bleating, trumpeting elephant sounds. The atmosphere in the Temple was charged from all of the puja that had gone on and people were finding it hard not to just fall on the floor in laughter. Finally, one of the swamis came over and took the conch and blew it "properly"... Some very very mischevious conch devas must have been having a wonderful time that night! still laughing when I think about it, sadhvi / <?subject=Un> Terms of Service <> . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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