Pune: In a special ceremony preserving traditional and spiritual significance, conch shell (shanknaad) players created devotional melodies through seven rhythmic cycles in Pune on Sunday. A total of more than 1,111 conch players set a world record by collectively performing seven cycles.
They played 'Brahmanaad', 'Saptakhand', 'Ardhavalay', 'Tutari', 'Poornavalay', 'Sudarshan', and 'Mukta-Chhandanaad' along with three mantras played through the conch. A total of 1,400 conch players participated in this.
The world record event for conch players was organised by the Keshav Shankhanaad Pathak. It is the first conch shell playing troupe in India. The conch-playing event happened on the grounds of S.P. College in Pune.
The dignitaries present on the stage for the world record ceremony included Mahant Yogi Rohtas Nath Maharaj, President of Rashtriya Mahakaal Sena; Jagadgurukrupankit Dr Chetananand Maharaj Punekar; Chandrakant Patil, Minister of Higher and Technical Education; Kishore Chavan, Provincial Minister of Vishwa Hindu Parishad; IPS Krishna Prakash, Additional Director General of Police; and others.
Initially, the 'Brahmnaad' tone spiritually connected human life and the Supreme Being. This was followed by the performance of the 'Saptakhand Naad' and 'Ardhavalay' tones. The 'Ardhvalay' tone represents the netherworld/lower part of the Earth. The fourth cycle, the 'Tutari Naad' (a trumpet-like tone), was a salutation to Maratha King Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj. After the fifth cycle, 'Poornavalay', and the sixth, 'Sudarshan', the seventh cycle, 'Mukta-Chhandnaad', was presented as a free-flowing sound. Through all seven tones, the audience witnessed the seven continents of the Earth, the semi-portion of the netherworld, and spiritual unity.
Minister Chandrakant Patil said, "Start preparing for the Guinness Book of World Records in January. Spiritual practice is a form of contentment. Performing the conch sound is a spiritual practice. The sound emanating from the conch is a form of spiritual discipline."
Nitin Mahajan stated that the ceremony was organised on the occasion of various anniversaries: the 750th birth anniversary year of Sant Dnyaneshwar Maharaj, the 375th anniversary of Jagadguru Sant Tukaram Maharaj's departure to Vaikunth, the 351st anniversary of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj's coronation, the 300th birth anniversary of Rajmata Ahilyadevi Holkar, the 135th death anniversary year of Mahatma Jyotiba Phule, and the 100th anniversary celebration of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh.
The world record was registered in the World Record Book of India. Preparation for this had been underway for the past year. The conch players came from Pune city and across the state of Maharashtra.
