About This Book
A systematic compilation of Konkan oral traditions and ritual practice describes local beliefs about natural forces, celestial phenomena, sacred sites, and minor deities. It documents who serves as priests for village gods, consecration norms, and caste-linked restrictions around offerings. Detailed accounts cover sun and moon rites, eclipses, sacred rivers, wells, and rain-making practices, plus taboos, vratas, and unusual ritual forms. Separate sections treat village and heroic godlings, cults for crop and cattle protection, and disease deities with exorcisms and scapegoating procedures. The volume also surveys ancestor and saint veneration, miracle-working tombs, and popular notions of ghosts, rebirth, and malevolent spirits.