Visit to Traditional Goan Matoli: A Celebration of Plant Biodiversity and Eco-Artistry during Ganesh Chaturthi

17 September 2026, Goa

Dr Parveen Kumar, Director, ICAR– Central Coastal Agricultural Research Institute, Goa visited the traditional Goan Matoli of Shri Datta Shambhu Naik, recipient of the Goa State Biodiversity Conservation Award–2025, at Gauthon, Priol, Ponda, Goa, today. The visit provided an opportunity to observe the remarkable diversity of plant resources traditionally sourced from the surrounding forest ecosystems and artistically assembled for display as part of the Ganesh Chaturthi Matoli tradition.

During the visit, more than 385 plant materials collected from Netravali Forest and Chorla Ghat were observed in the Matoli, themed “Mahalsa Narayani Devi”, representing substantial taxonomic, morphological, functional and ethnobotanical diversity. 

The assemblage comprised cultivated crops, traditional and underutilized crops, wild and semi-domesticated plant resources, medicinal and ornamental plant species, and other ethnobotanically significant species, reflecting the richness of locally available Goan agrobiodiversity and traditional ecological knowledge.

The fruit component included Musa spp., Annona spp., Ficus spp., Passiflora spp., pineapple, breadfruit, local cherry and several lesser-known and underutilized fruit species of Goan origin. Vegetable and tuber diversity encompassed Dioscorea spp., diverse gourds, beans, chilli and other traditional vegetable crops. The display also featured palms and their leaves, flowering plants, cacti, succulents and other ornamental taxa, along with a variety of wild plant resources and tree species.

A notable feature was the use of different plant organs and structural materials, including fruits, seeds, leaves, stems, flowers, inflorescences, fibres and other vegetative parts. Luffa-derived fibres and other naturally occurring plant materials were creatively incorporated into the arrangement, demonstrating the functional and aesthetic utilization of locally available biological resources.

Collectively, the Matoli provided a distinctive representation of Goan plant biodiversity, traditional plant-use practices and indigenous ecological knowledge, expressed through traditional eco-artistry and embedded within the cultural celebrations of Ganesh Chaturthi.

(Source: ICAR– Central Coastal Agricultural Research Institute, Goa)