I remember this tongue twister from my school days — She sells seashells on the seashore!
I also remember lovely rambling evenings at the beach, collecting bucketfuls of shells that were washed up on the shore. Their delicate tracery and subtle textures, and colouration made them irresistible. Somewhere in our childhood minds, although we were perhaps too young to truly appreciate their beauty, there was an almost unholy glee in collecting beautiful shells, unusual shells, and most importantly, unique shells. We would trade them, squabble over them, and cherish them. I still have a few lying in a bowl in my house, and every time I see them, I am transported to those wonderful childhood times.
It is perhaps natural, then, that shells should be so much a part of our traditional play. Games with cowrie shells are popular from the shores of Tamil Nadu to the mountains of Kashmir. The rules are different, but the element of fun remains unchanged. There is something truly appealing about cowries. Their appeal lies in their almost perfect form and shape, their polished look and texture.
Interestingly, the word porcelain comes from the Old Italian word ‘porcellana’ for the cowrie shell. When one sees the polished cowrie gleaming smooth and lovely, one cannot fail to see the connection.
Another fascinating aspect of the cowrie is their ability to fall in one of two ways, almost underlining the binary nature of so many things, most importantly, the very technology that all our lives are based on today. This makes it perfect for random number generation, making it an important element in play both as game pieces as well as throw pieces.
The use of cowries as throw pieces, is seen across the country in numerous games that use four, six, and even seven shells to generate various numbers that determine the course of play. Cowries are used as independent play pieces with a wide variety of rules that have sprung up based on the number of cowries and the way they fall. Additionally, small cowries are used as counters in games such as the pallanguzhi — especially along the coast — the smooth texture and size proving to be perfect for the distribution game while providing a wonderful sensory stimulus to the fingers manipulating them.
But although I studied the games played with cowries, it took me a long time to understand their importance in ocean ecosystems, both ecologically and culturally: Cowries — marine snails from the family Cypraeidae — play several important roles are grazers and scavengers, feeding on algae, detritus, and small invertebrates. This helps control algae growth on coral reefs, promoting reef health and biodiversity.
Cowrie shells are made of calcium carbonate, which slowly dissolves and contributes to marine sediment and beach stabilisation. Sadly, as they have been used as currency, jewelry, ritual objects, and even objects of play in many cultures, their collection has increased, leading to ecological concerns in some coastal areas.
It is wonderful to revive heritage and culture. On June 8, we observed World Oceans Day. It is perhaps time to change the way we view our use of cowrie shells to be sensitive to environmental needs. And as wonderful as cowries may be in games, we can perhaps find a substitute so that they can play a more important role in preserving our marine biodiversity.
Perhaps it is not quite right to sell seashells on the seashore anymore.