By Bhiva P Parab
Panaji
The beat of the ghumat has long resonated at the heart of Goan festivals – from the devotional fervour of Ganesh Chaturthi to the colours of Shigmo, the grace of Mando–Dulpod and the earthy rhythms of zagor. But behind this symbol of Goa’s cultural essence lies a clash between tradition and conservation.
For centuries, the traditional ghumat – an earthen pot drum – was crafted using the skin of the monitor lizard (Varanus bengalensis). But as this reptile came under severe threat, India’s wildlife laws stepped in. The monitor lizard is now protected under Schedule I of the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972, making hunting or trade punishable with up to seven years’ imprisonment and heavy fines. Yet, even today, the demand spikes during Ganesh Chaturthi.
Just recently, officials seized 47 monitor lizard skins, suspected to have been intended for ghumat making. In the grey market, a monitor-lizard-skin ghumat can fetch upwards of Rs 4,000, while alternatives made of she-goat
skin are sold for about half the price.
“The ghumat is part of our identity, but the life of a wild creature is equally important. A substitute exists – goat skin – and it produces the same sound quality,” said environmentalist Rajendra Kerkar. He said, “In the past, trained dogs were used to hunt lizards, and their skin, organs and blood were exploited in many ways. This devastated their population. The shift to goat skin is a boon – it keeps the tradition alive while protecting nature.”
Bhajani artist Uday Desai agreed. “Durability-wise, quality-wise there is no difference between a ghumat made from monitor lizard skin and one from she-goat skin. Only cost-wise there is. The goat-skin ghumat is cheaper, priced around
Rs 2,000, and is perfectly suited for festivals,” he said. Some artisans, however, rush the process, drying skins in the sun instead of the shade, which reduces sound quality. Traditionally, the goat skin is soaked in water for 24 hours, treated in rice gruel (pyaj), and then carefully tied to the clay vessel with cotton string before being left to dry in the shade for a week.
For the ghumat aarti of Ganesh Chaturthi, demand for the instrument always rises, putting monitor lizards at greater risk. But conservationists warn that the reptile plays a vital ecological role. As both predator and scavenger, it regulates populations of insects, rodents, reptiles, and even birds, maintaining balance in its environment.
“Awareness is the key,” said Kerkar. “If people understand that goat-skin ghumats are not only legal but also equally resonant, then the monitor lizard can be saved while our cultural heartbeat continues.”
The rhythm of Goa’s
festivals, then, may not lie in tradition versus change,
but in a harmony where culture and conservation play in tune.
