Audiobook Folk Lore Notes. Vol. I—Gujarat

This foundational ethnographic study compiles raw replies to folk-lore questionnaires distributed across Gujarat and the Konkan during the early twentieth century. The text systematically categorizes popular regional beliefs, beginning with nature powers such as sun and moon worship, the significance of the Swastika, and the interpretation of meteorological phenomena like thunder, lightning, and eclipses. Subsequent sections examine heroic godlings, disease deities responsible for scourges like cholera and smallpox, ancestor and saint worship, and the pervasive fear of malevolent dead spirits and the evil eye. The narrative details intricate village rituals, including spirit exorcism by bhuvas, animal sacrifices, tree and serpent veneration, remnants of totemism and fetishism, and witchcraft. A significant portion is dedicated to agricultural ceremonies, sacred rivers, holy pools, and mountains, illustrating how rural populations propitiate unseen spiritual presences to avert misfortune, secure health, and ensure favourable harvests. The collection concludes by capturing the syncretic nature of local faith, where Hindu and Muslim traditions intermingle in the veneration of regional pirs and folk deities.