Chapters in this book

1. Frontmatter i
2. Contents vii
3. Illustrations and Maps ix
4. Foreword xi
5. Preface xiii
6. Note on Transliteration xxiii
7. I. Introduction: Region, Repertoire, and Genre 1
8. 2. Soaking the Goddess, Celebrating Friendship Bhojalī 26
9. 3. Brave Daughters, Bound Kings: A Female Tradition of Reversal Ḍālkhāī 50
10. 4. Land of Wealth, Land of Famine: The "Parrot Dance" in Ritual and Narrative Suā Nāc 77
11. 5. Joining Verse to Verse: Professional Storytelling and Individual Creativity Kathānī Kūhā 104
12. 6. "This Is Our Story": A Chhattisgarhi Epic Candainī 131
13. 7. Paṇḍvānī Heroines, Chhattisgarhi Daughters Paṇḍvānī 156
14. 8. Conclusion: Shifting Boundaries of Genre and Community 177
15. The Song of Subanbali 189
16. Kathānī Kūhā: Of Friendship, Love, and Memory 252
17. Sample Transcriptions of Performance Texts 325
18. Glossary 333
19. Bibliography 337
20. Index 345