Should we keep a śaṅkha (conch) at home, and when do we blow it?

yes — it is blown at the start and end of pūjā and ārati; keep one for blowing and, if you like, another for offering water.

The śaṅkha is held by Viṣṇu and is associated with Lakṣmī, who tradition says rose with it from the churning of the ocean. In the Gītā, Kṛṣṇa’s conch Pāñcajanya announces the start of the battle. In homes it is blown at the beginning of pūjā, during ārati, and in Bengal and Odisha especially at dusk, to mark sacred time and fill the house with its sound.

Many families keep two: a vāmāvartī or plain conch for blowing, and a smaller one, sometimes dakṣiṇāvartī, placed on a stand and used to offer water to Viṣṇu or Kṛṣṇa. Wash it after use and keep it on a clean cloth or stand, not directly on the floor.

A widely followed custom is not to offer water from a śaṅkha to Śiva, based on a Purāṇic story. Blowing is a skill — practise gently; three blows is common, but there is no fixed rule.

Kṛṣṇa’s conch: Pāñcajanya (Gītā ch. 1) · Source: Purāṇic and family tradition

Dharma Q&A — worship at home · Ask a Jyotishi your own question