In Sikkim, a bamboo tube can be turned into a flute, and a piece of mature wood into a three-stringed instrument. When these items are used in music, the landscape that gave birth to them extends its influence far beyond the hills where the material was found. This connection between place, material, and music was officially recognized last year.
On November 5, 2025, the Government of India granted Geographical Indication (GI) registration to two traditional Lepcha musical instruments—the Tungbuk and Pumtong Pulit—under the category of musical instruments in the Geographical Indications Register. These instruments are inextricably linked to the ecosystem that creates them.
When the forest becomes an instrument
The Tungbuk is a three-stringed instrument traditionally made from soft wood and parchment. It measures about 36 inches in length, 11 inches in diameter, and six inches in height, and is used to accompany music and local dances in Sikkim. The Pumtong Pulit is different: it is a four-holed bamboo flute, traditionally made from bamboo and used, among other things, to reproduce natural sounds.
Both instruments belong to the Lepcha folk music and carry cultural and spiritual significance. They are played during songs, dances, and ceremonies, integrating them into a broader musical tradition that includes bamboo flutes, drums, and string instruments. However, it is important to note the composition of these instruments: the Pumtong Pulit starts with bamboo, while the Tungbuk starts with wood. The choice of material influences the instrument's manufacturing process and, ultimately, its sound.
This makes the GI recognition interesting from an ecological perspective, as the instruments possess a geographical identity because their creation is tied to a specific cultural landscape.
People who call themselves children of nature
For the Lepcha people, this connection is nothing new. The Tribal Research Institute of the Government of Sikkim describes the Lepcha as the indigenous people of Sikkim and notes the community's close relationship with nature. The institute records the ethnonym Mutanchi Rong Kup Rum Kup, while official sources and other mentions refer to Mutanchi Rongkup, which relates to the community's connection with nature and snowy peaks.
This connection permeates Lepcha cultural life. Songs, festivals, and rituals are closely associated with mountains, rivers, trees, and plants. The Government of Sikkim points out that prayers, offerings, and ceremonies are dedicated to trees, plants, mountain deities, nature, and rivers.
Prem Singh Tamang (Golay) congratulated the Lepcha community of Sikkim on achieving a source of pride—receiving GI registration for the traditional musical instruments Tungbuk and Puntong Palit. Music is an integral part of Lepcha culture, and various songs are accompanied by folk instruments on different occasions. Thus, when a bamboo flute is made from a plant growing in the Himalayan landscape and then used to imitate the sounds of that landscape, the link between nature and culture becomes tangible. The forest is not just a backdrop for tradition; it is part of it.
Geographical indication with a question about the forest
A Geographical Indication establishes that a product has a specific geographical origin and qualities or reputation associated with that place. It also provides legal protection against unauthorized use of the geographical name. The organization that facilitated the GI applications, Mutanchi Lom Aal Shezum (MLAS), announced plans to conduct workshops and awareness programs for youth. Furthermore, it intends to carry out plantings of two types of bamboo—Po (Choya Bash) and Poyon—used in the making of the Pumtong Pulit.
This detail may be one of the most important parts of the GI story. Since the musical tradition depends on bamboo, maintaining this tradition ultimately means maintaining the bamboo. Planting the species used for the Pumtong Pulit thus creates a direct link between cultural preservation and ecological continuity. The next step may be ensuring that the geography itself continues to provide what the instruments need. More than 20 species, such as Dendrocalamus hamiltonii and Arundinaria maling, thrive throughout Sikkim, and the Lepcha, who consider themselves the 'younger brother of bamboo,' deeply integrate this plant into their heritage, daily tools, and sustainable construction. Now they are integrating it into their music.