Abstract:

"An Indian Pilgrimage: Ramdevra follows a group of Hindus on a folk pilgrimage to the grave of Ramdev, a medieval martial hero and saint of Rajasthan. In a folk pilgrimage, devotion rather than ritual is emphasized, and pilgrims are free to worship in their own ways with a minimum of priestly intermediaries. At Ramdev's grave the Bombay pilgrims make their collective offering, including martial flags and a statue of a horse. One of the women goes into a trance as the spirit of Ramdev "enters" her. Outside the shrine, the pilgrims mingle with the crowds of shoppers at the fair, observe other pilgrims, and listen to preachers, hawkers, and devotional singers who throng the Ramdevra festival."