Chapters in this book

1. Front Matter i
2. Contents vii
3. List of Figures ix
4. Acknowledgments xi
5. Introduction 1
6. Laughing Inside Out
7. Serious Levity at the Shrine of St. Anne in South India 21
8. Don’t Take It Badly, It’s Holi 37
9. Playing the Married Lady 57
10. The “Artful Trick” 71
11. Gods and Humans at Play
12. Friendship, Humor, Levity, and Love in a Hindu Women’s Ritual Tradition 91
13. Laughing until It Hurts . . . Somebody Else 107
14. Gods’ Play and the Buddha’s Way 123
15. Playing to Win
16. Playing with Durga in Bengal 143
17. Turning Karbala Inside Out 161
18. A Catholic Charismatic Healer at Play in North India 185
19. Response 205
20. Contributors 217
21. Index 221