Se(a)e the beauty of shells at this museum in Goa's Betul

(SHELL)ABRATE THE SEA  

A trip to Betul can be exhilarating especially when you have to visit Kharvi Abode museum which pays tribute to the fishing community and the marine biodiversity.

TREASURES OF THE SEA

The Kharvi Abode has displayed a variety of seashells, a total of around 9,000 of them. The museum curator, Victor Hugo Gomes, calls himself a thematic collector.

FROM AROUND THE WORLD

These shells include seashells, corals and fossils – which were collected, bid for at auctions or purchased from collectors based in South and North America, Japan, New Zealand and Australia.

SE(A)E THE BEAUTY

Did you know male Sea horses give birth? The museum has a seahorse on display which attracts many youngsters.

LOSING THEIR CHARM

Over the years, corals and shells are slowly degrading - they are more brittle, some are going extinct - all due to human negligence.

FROM THE DEEP BLUE

Some of the shells purchased on auction have cost ₹ 80,000 to ₹1,20,000. There are a few species of shells which fall in the Schedule I and IV of the Wildlife Protection Act because of their rarity.

DID YOU KNOW?

Shells are symbols of culture and spirituality, and they also have agricultural significance. They were used as currency, tools in households as scrapers and blades. Shells were used as sacred shankas, musical instruments and even worn as accessories.

NEXT: Goa's turtle-nesting beaches await its annual visitors