Ghumot, Monitor Lizard & Music: A Folk Instrument at the Crossroads of Culture and Conservation

In the intricate weave of India’s biodiversity and cultural heritage, the story of the ghumot—a traditional membranophone (a type of percussion instrument that produces sound through a vibrating stretched membrane)—from Goa offers a rare glimpse into how art, identity, law, and environment intersect. The ghumot, also known as ghumat, has long held cultural and religious significance across Goa’s diverse communities—particularly among Hindus, Christians, and the tribal Gawda community, considered one of the region’s earliest settlers.

Historically, the ghumot is crafted using an earthen clay pot with its open mouth covered using animal hide, traditionally that of the Indian monitor lizard (Varanus bengalensis). This creates a sharp, resonant beat when played—integral to several Goan folk music traditions. The instrument features prominently in religious practices such as the Ganapati Stotra, Ganapati Arati, and Ganapati Visarjana, particularly during the vibrant Ganesh Chaturthi festival. Among Christians, the ghumata vazop—a dance performed to the ghumot's rhythm—figures significantly in pre-wedding roce ceremonies and is now embraced by various communities including the Kunbis. The instrument also appears in folk genres like Mando and is played during seasonal festivities such as Shigmo (Goan Holi), Zagor (harvest season celebrations), and the São João festival (Feast of St John the Baptist) held every June 24.

Despite its deep cultural roots, the ghumot today sits at the center of an aesthetics versus ethics debate. The Indian monitor lizard, once hunted for its highly elastic hide, is now protected under Schedule I of the Indian Wildlife Protection Act, 1972—the highest level of protection—and listed in Appendix I of CITES (Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species), effectively banning its trade and use. Ecologist Nirmal Kulkarni notes that this protection existed long before the ghumot came into controversy, citing how potters once bred dogs specifically to hunt monitor lizards, using not just their skin but also their organs and blood for various purposes—practices that devastated local lizard populations.

As conservation awareness increased, the Goa State Cabinet declared the ghumot (crafted without monitor lizard skin) as the official State Heritage Instrument on August 30, 2019. This decision was widely seen as a compromise to preserve both the craft and biodiversity. Many ghumots are now made using goat skin or synthetic membranes. However, this shift has triggered concerns among musicians and craftsmen about compromised sound quality and the loss of traditional timbre. A renowned Goan multi-instrumentalist compared the experience to that of playing an electronic tabla versus an acoustic tabla, underscoring a sense of disconnection felt by performers when playing instruments altered from their original form.

Some artisans have adapted to the new materials, though not without challenges. A potter recalled how in 2018, local police inspected his shop for contraband ghumots, and expressed relief that none containing monitor lizard hide remained unsold—highlighting the growing risks and legal awareness in the community. However, the issue is not just ecological or artistic—it is deeply social. The number of ghumot makers is dwindling, and those remaining often face limited exposure, neglected recognition, and socio-economic disadvantages.

This moment invites us to reflect on “claim-making” over cultural heritage. Who owns the sound of the ghumot—the virtuoso player or the often-ignored maker? This echoes the arguments raised by classical vocalist and writer T M Krishna, who examined similar caste and class hierarchies in relation to the mridangam (a South Indian percussion instrument). These hierarchies often manifest in genre visibility, performer recognition, and the undervaluing of accompanying artists and instrument-makers—thus skewing the aesthetic discourse itself.

Moreover, Goa is witnessing a wave of musical reinvention. Venues like Madragoa in Panjim host fortnightly performances of mandos and fados (Portuguese-origin Goan ballads), while house concerts in heritage homes are reviving interest in folk traditions. One such innovative re-imagining was the video released by Entre Nos in September 2024, reflecting a contemporary yet respectful interpretation of Goan folk aesthetics.

This convergence of environment, tradition, and identity raises important questions: Whose heritage is being preserved? Who becomes the face of this cultural past? And at what cost to ethics or authenticity? The ghumot, once a humble rural instrument, now symbolizes a broader discourse on ecological responsibility, cultural ownership, and musical aesthetics in a changing world. As conservation and craft attempt to coexist, the ghumot continues to beat—not just as an instrument, but as a living metaphor for Goa’s socio-cultural rhythm.

Concepts Defined

• Membranophone: A type of musical instrument that produces sound primarily by way of a vibrating stretched membrane (e.g., drums).

• Schedule I of the Wildlife Protection Act: Offers absolute protection; offenses under this schedule are prescribed the highest penalties.

• CITES Appendix I: Includes species threatened with extinction; trade in specimens of these species is permitted only in exceptional circumstances.

• Claim-making: The act of asserting cultural or social ownership over practices, objects, or heritage.

• Mandos, Fados: Traditional Goan musical forms—mandos are melodic, lyrical love songs; fados are melancholic Portuguese ballads.

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