The Ghar and Saap are the Marathi and Konkani names respectively for the Monitor Lizard which is zoologically called the ‘*Varanus Bengalensis*’. Legend has it that to breach a fort, a rope was tied around the Monitor Lizard and it was set free to climb the walls. Once the lizard was inside it would either entangle itself in the vegetation or hold on to its vice like grip when the rope was pulled. Soldiers would then climb up the walls of the fort by means of the rope.
In Goa, there is a belief that the blood of the lizard drunk fresh, mixed with feni prolongs life and is a cure for Asthma. Accordingly, (though protected) the reptile is caught and killed both for its blood and meat. The American cousin of the Monitor Lizard is called the Iguana. The reptile which was rare earlier, is now quite frequently seen in my neighbourhood at Majorda. It is the largest lizard in India. There is now an artificial surface available for the ‘ghumott’. Use of lizard skin for the same is illegal and punishable. The flying lizard is a different species and has nothing to do with the ‘saap’. By: Radharao F.Gracias On Fri, Jul 22, 2011 at 8:40 PM, Domnic Fernandes <domval...@hotmail.com>wrote: > > > > > > Asthma sufferers were made to drink fresh blood of the gaar mixed with > cashew feni as a cure. The patient held his/her nose with left hand and > drank the mixture with right hand - just as we were made to drink Epsom salt > purgative! > > Maratha warriors used the gaar with ropes attached for climbing high walls > of forts. > > Moi-mogan, > > Domnic Fernandes > Anjuna, Goa > Mob: 9420979201 > > Fred, > We used to pronounce it as 'gaar' as in 'thand gaar' or icy cold. To me, > 'ghar' is an eagle. > Is it not a species of the Indian Iguana?I remember folks with asthma being > made to drink > the blood of the 'gaar' as a cure!I had a friend, who drank it, but was not > convinced that > it cured him. > Naguesh > > Naguesh Bhatcar > > >