Ghumot declared as heritage musical instrument of Goa

Ghumot, Goa’s indigenous traditional percussion instrument made from an earthen vessel, will be notified as a heritage musical instrument of Goa. The instrument was banned due to the use of the skin of the endangered monitor lizard for the drum membrane. In recent years, ghumot makers have started using goat skin instead. The ban is applicable to the use of any animal listed in the Schedule I of the Wildlife (Protection) Act of 1972, and that the goat is not one of them. The Ghumot is part of religious and folk music of both Hindus and Christians in Goa. It is an essential instrument for the Ganesh festival, during arti and in Suvari Vadan orchestra that performs at Goan temples during spring. Ghumot is part of the Mando, a musical form of the Goan Catholics that combines elements of both Indian and Western music. It is also part of the Zagor folk dance and Dulpod.