Conch trumpet. Monpa name 'dhungkar', scientific name 'Xancus pyrum'. The shell is carved with diagonal stripes and a flower motif.
The sound of the conch trumpet dhungkar begins a Buddhist ritual performance at the village gompa (monastery) or in the home. The conches are end-blown and are usually played in pairs. The dhungkar was traditionally used in the Tawang district but was always carved in other areas of India. Like the sankh conch trumpet used in Hindu temples, it is made of the conch Turbinella pyrum .
