International Journal of English Literature and Social Sciences

Vol-7, Issue-4; Jul-Aug, 2022

Journal Home Page Available: https://ijels.com/

Journal DOI: 10.22161/ijels

Representing Mysticism: Select Writings of Namita

Gokhale
Dr. Shalini Vohra1, Dr. Sunita Bhola2

1Associate Professor, School of Liberal Studies, UPES, Dehradun, India

2Assistant Professor (S.S.), School of Liberal Studies, UPES, Dehradun, India

Received: 28 Jun 2022; Received in revised form: 18 Jul 2022; Accepted: 23 Jul 2022; Available online: 27 Jul 2022
©2022 The Author(s). Published by Infogain Publication. This is an open access article under the CC BY license
(https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/).

Abstract— This study attempts to explore the various elements of mysticism. It is important to note that
Mysticism can be defined as a belief in which union with the Absolute can be achieved through
contemplation or self-surrender. It has also been associated with super natural and occult practices. For
this study, the writings of Namita Gokhale has been undertaken. Her writings deal withvaried aspects of
mysticism. When she writes about the myths associated with trees and mountains, she is trying to attain
that union and is in the pursuit to justify the different sets of practices, especially in the Indian context.She
has experienced it all while growing up in the vicinity of mighty Himalayas.Her writings occasionally take
a peep into the spiritual and mystical aspect of our day to day life for the holistic development of ourselves,
including our emotional and spiritual development. Namita’s writings reveal her abiding love for the
mighty Himalayas. Her stories are replete with the myths associated with mountain peaks, rivers, rocks,
temples and trees.
Keywords— mysticism, mythology, paranormal, supernatural, occult.

INTRODUCTION Such experiences are thought to reveal a supreme and trans

Mysticism is perhaps one of those few words, which has mundane (beyond ordinary experience) reality and to
evolved over a long span of time. It is a word holding provide the meaning of life. Mysticism influences both
much universality and its effects are seen in perhaps all the classical and modern Indian thought. Through meditation
major religious thought processes. Mysticism is not only and the meditative techniques of yoga, it is believed that
the juxtaposition of the higher self to the lower self, but one discovers one's true self (atman), or God (Brahman),
also surrender to that higher power, completely, to the or enlightenment (nirvana). The presumed indicators of
extent that a person becomes one with it. Meditative, mystical experiences, such as atman or God, were
contemplative and ineffable attributes define the course of particularly debated in the ancient period and influenced
mysticism across the globe. It’s not only associated with much subsequent Indian philosophy, including the
the ecstasy of feeling free, but also of a union that is very reflections of professional philosophers in late classical
subjective in nature. So be it the mysticism of William times.In some schools of classical Indian philosophy, such
Blake or Johann Wolfgang Von Goethe, or the as Nyaya (Logic), neither religion nor mysticism is central.
metaphysical poets of lore, the American Ralph Waldo Rather, the questions of how humans know what they
Emerson or the French Joris-Karl Husymans, different know, and how they can mean what they say, take
writers have understood it contrastingly, but always away precedence. Mysticism, an immediate, direct, intuitive
from the religious belief system. knowledge of God or of ultimate reality is also attained
through personal religious experience. Both the form
Mysticism, in other words, is the claim that ultimate truth
and the intensity of mystical experience vary greatly. The
is only obtainable through spiritual experience. This
authenticity of any such experience, on the other hand, is
philosophy dominates much ancient Indian philosophy.

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solely dependent on the quality of life that follows the who transcends the world but actively participates in it,
experience. The mystical life is characterized by enhanced and who reveals his purpose for human beings through
vitality, productivity, serenity, and joy as the inner and specific individuals, miraculous events, or sacred
outward aspects harmonize in union with God. 1 writings.A theistic God is personal if he can be understood
In an attempt to explain the phenomenon of mysticism, through human experience analogies and if humans can
elaborate philosophical theories have been developed. In enter into a personal relationship with him and petition him
Hindu philosophy, particularly in the metaphysical system in prayer. Such a God is regarded as deserving of worship
known as the Vedanta, the self or atman in man is because he is thought to be morally perfect and infinitely
identified with the supreme self, or Brahman, of the powerful.
universe. The apparent separateness and individuality of To understand and explore the concept of mysticism, the
beings and events are held to be an illusion, or convention writings of celebrated author Namita Gokhale, has been
of thought and feeling. The realisation of the essential undertaken. The author is also "deeply fascinated" by
oneness of atman and Brahman can dispel this illusion. Indian mythology, which has inspired many of her books.
When the religious initiate overcomes the beginning less It has also inspired her to write books such as The Book of
ignorance, known in Sanskrit avidya, a mystical state of Shiva (on Shaivaite philosophy) and a children's version of
liberation, or moksha, is attained. Yoga, according to the Mahabharata. She dons many hats, as an author,
Hindu philosophy, is the most complete and rigorous director and publisher. She has an illustrious career of over
discipline ever devised to transcend the sense of personal three decades and has diverse areas of interest.She has also
identity and pave the way for an experience of union with written about myths in books such as The Book of Shiva,
the divine self. Analyzing other civilizations, the ancient and the re-telling of The Mahabharata, Radha and Sita. She
Greeks' philosophical ideas were primarily naturalistic and has authored over Sixteen books, both fiction and non-
rationalistic, but an element of mysticism was expressed in fiction.
the Orphic and other sacred mysteries. Neoplatonism, a In the book,InGods, Graves and Grandmother, Namita
late Greek movement based on Plato's philosophy, also Gokhale writes “Suspend disbelief if you must when you
shows the influence of mystery religions. The Muslim Sufi read this book, but not belief.”2Peepul tree, sacred to Lord
sect embraces a form of theistic mysticism closely Shiva was a presence in the lives of Gudiya and Ammi.
resembling that of the Vedanta. Sufi doctrines were most Gudiya believed that its leaves talked to her in a sibilant
vividly expressed in the symbolic works of the Persian murmur. At night she could hear the ghosts and spirits that
poets Mohammed Shams od-Din, better known as Hafiz, dwelt in its “enormous gnarled branches”,laughing and
and Jalal al-Din Rumi, and in the writings of the Persian talking in a perfectly normal way. Sometimes she could
al-Ghazali. Mysticism of the pre-Christian period is hear the screams of the inhabitants of the peepul tree
evidenced in the writings of the Jewish-Hellenistic which made her hair stand on its ends and send a shiver
philosopher Philo Judaeus. down her spine. These inhabitants were Shambhu,
The belief in any god or gods is known as theism. Mangoo, her mother and Rias – ud – Rizvi. The death of a
However, in its most common philosophical and loved one can cause untold psychological trauma, and
theological context, theism is a form of monotheism, or there are powerful motives, psychological and indeed
belief in only one God. Pantheism, in contrast to theism, sociological, for believing in their survival. Thus Gudiya
holds that God is either identical with the world or saw the images of her loved ones on the peepul tree.There
completely immanent, pervading everything that exists in is another range of events, which is labeled as
the world. Deism holds that God created the world but then "paranatural," that deal with still other dimensions of
had no further involvement with it. Theism should also be reality: classical mystical or supernatural claims that
distinguished from atheism and agnosticism, both of which allegedly intrude into our universe from nowhere. These
have numerous variants. Positive atheism, in the broadest refer primarily to a theistic order of reality and to
sense, is a rejection of all gods, including the theistic God, phenomena including discarnate souls, intelligent design,
whereas negative atheism is simply the absence of belief in and "creation science." Visitations from extraterrestrials
any god. Negative atheism is compatible with agnosticism, beyond this world may be considered to be both
the denial that a person can know either that God exists or paranormal and paranatural. Some classical religious
does not exist. Some agnostics draw the conclusion that phenomena, such as weeping statues, stigmata, exorcism
one should suspend one’s belief, a view known as agnostic and possession, faith healing, the Shroud of Turin, past-life
atheism. Other agnostics, known as agnostics, choose to regressions used as evidence for reincarnation, historical
believe in a theistic God on the basis of faith. Theism is the revelations by prophets carrying messages from On High,
belief in one God who is personal and worthy of worship, and other so-called religious miracles, fall under this

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Vohra et al. Representing Mysticism: Select Writings of Namita Gokhale

category. All of these have an empirical component and Supernaturalism postulates divine powers intervening
are not completely transcendental, and hence they are miraculously in natural causal sequences. Thus it is alleged
capable of some experimental testing and historical that the natural and material universe needs to be
reconstruction of their claims. Although these anomalous supplemented by a supernatural reality, which transcends
events are beyond nature, in one sense, proponents of them human understanding and can only be approached by
seek to offer some kind of empirical evidence to support mysticism and faith.
their hypotheses that there are unnatural, non-material, or Mysticism, therefore is not to be put on the same track as
spiritual processes at work in the universe. The claims of mythology, or a belief in a God. Unexplainable
the defenders of the para, the paranormal or paranatural phenomenon is a common manner of defining mysticism,
exist outside of nature or that they constitute dimensions of although, it also works parallel to spirituality. In this book,
reality that undermine naturalism; can be contested. Ammi had miraculous powers, and after her death, it
Indeed, as we expand the frontiers of knowledge, projected onto Lila. Namita Gokhale attempts to portray
phenomena considered para can be given naturalistic or Lila as a medium for the spirit of Ammi. A medium may
normal explanations, and this range of phenomena can claim to hear and relate conversations with spirit voices; to
either be interpreted by the existing body of explanatory enter a trance and speak without knowing what is being
scientific principles or by the introduction of new ones. said; or to allow a spirit to enter their body and speak
Mysterious things happened, both good and bad as Gudiya through it; claim to relay messages from the spirits those
and Ammi were guided by the will of God. Everyone knew who wish to contact them with the help of a physical tool,
that the will of God was guiding them and they felt such as a writing instrument. When the control spirit takes
invincible, in their separate ways.The goals of spiritual over, the voice may change completely and the spirit
gifts were to reveal and confirm God's will for man, which answers the questions of those in its presence or gives
was completed during the lifetimes of the original apostles. spiritual knowledge. Gokhale beseechs the aspect of
False prophets could be distinguished from true prophets transference of soul, unexplained and mystic as a
because their teachings did not always correspond with phenomenon and also mediumship. While the Western
scriptures and their predictions did not always come true. movements of Spiritualism and Spiritism receive the
Ammi’s was not well versed with the scriptures, and she majority of Western media attention, mediumship is a
did not much care for the Hindu rituals, though she did central focus of religious practice in most traditional
preach them, but this was only so that she could survive in African and African diasporic traditions. The term
a merchandised religious atmosphere.8 She sees strange "mediumship" denotes the claimed ability of a person (the
sights which can only be described as paranormal. medium) to apparently experience contact with spirits of
Paranormal is a general term that describes unusual the dead, spirits of immaterial entities, angels, or demons.
experiences that lack an obvious scientific explanation or The medium generally claims to attempt to facilitate
phenomena alleged to be outside of science's current communication between non-mediumistic people and
ability to explain or measure.3 spirits they claim to have messages to share.4 Thus Lila
appears to be a medium for communication with the spirit
A new para-natural paradigm seems to be emerging in
of Ammi.
postmodern culture. There is great public fascination with
a para-natural/paranormal conception of the universe, The basic principle was that human personality survived
encouraged largely by the mass media and encouraged by death and could communicate with specially endowed
a number of "fringe sciences," which claim to support this mediums. In the late nineteenth century and early twentieth
outlook. The cultural backdrop for this is the development century spiritualism swept the United States, England, and
of postmodernism in the academy -- the denial that science Europe. Thousands of mediums soon appeared, all
provides us with objective truth, the belief that it is only seemingly capable of communicating with the dead. This
one mythic narrative among others, and that a New Age medium was taken over by the power and the want to
paradigm is emerging that displaces or drastically modifies attain moksha and enter the never ending cycle of birth and
scientific naturalism. Science pre-supposes naturalism; that death.This need culminates in the efforts of Shakuntala,
is, it seeks to develop causal explanations of natural the protagonist of “Shakuntala – The Play of Memory”,
phenomena, and it tests its hypotheses and theories by who in an attempt to attain moksha travels to Kashi, but
reference to the principles of logic, empirical observation, fails to do so.
experimental prediction, and confirmation. This is in Shakuntala: The Play of Memory, transposes us back in
contrast with supernatural explanations, which claim to time to another Shakuntala, that of Abhijnana
deal with an order of existence beyond the visible or Shakuntalam, by Kalidasa, as Shakuntala the protagonist
observable universe, and attributes events to occult causes. of Namita Gokhale’s “Sahkuntala : The Play of Memory”,

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identifies with her namesake. Lokayakta’s believed that and a jackal as she stands on a seemingly dead Shiva,
memory was evidence of a human soul that existed beyond usually with her right foot forward to represent the more
the mere physical body. Namita Gokhale’s Sahkuntala is popular Dakshinamarga or right-handed path, as opposed
transposed to another time. Advaita philosophers believe to the more infamous and transgressive Vamamarga or
that the soul and the Divine are one and the same. left-handed path. 12Shivani and her sister did her bidding.
However, when a soul is born encased in a physical body, They had heard rumors that a malevolent Bhairavi of
its new physical identity and the socialisation process magnetic presence, bad – tempered and quick with her
overtake and even obliterate the memory of its connection curses, had visited some households. Those who refused to
with the Divine. With a first name, family name, religion, listen to her had to suffer illness and other hardships. After
caste, and the "mine and thine" tendency, the ego grows she had cooked and eaten the food, there was a magical
stronger, and the world and everything in it begin to appear transformation in her and she looked more human. She
real. 54Sitting besides the Ganga shining under the late blessed both Shivani and her sister with a boon. Shivani
morning sun, she could feel it “lapping in her knees, believed that her blessings kept them going through all
tugging and pulling like an impatient child”. 5 Turning on their adversities. At times when Shivani felt down and out,
hearing a soft splash and the sound of laughter, she saw a the image of the Bhairavi’s strength filled her with
horse, its forehead emblazoned with a pack of white, she renewed vitality and she could almost visualize a hand pull
saw a stocky, muscular traveler with irrepressible her out of troubles. Shivani was grateful to the Bhairavi for
merriment in his eyes; holding the reigns of the horse. As having unlocked her latent powers, and she attributes the
Namita Gokhale’s Shakuntala lay abandoned and dying in fact that she can write and articulate her thoughts because
Kashi, with a wound in her womb from which blood oozed of her benediction. Guru is a guide who can understand all
out like a stream, she was convulsed by remembrance, by a one's problems and suggest Mantras with the help of which
fear of recognition. Sensing her pain, a dog settled besides one could get rid of all problems.Being a Kali child means
her like an ally. A procession of saffron clad holy men being denied earthly delights and pleasures.Kali is said to
marched by. She saw in her dream a jackal, whose not always give what is expected of her. To the devotee, it
searching eyes were waiting to strike. She also has the is perhaps her very refusal to do so that enables her
vision of Kali, the fierce Goddess, who was the scavenger devotees to reflect on dimensions of themselves and of
of desires, feasting on the refuse of dreams. Although she reality that go beyond the material world.8
looks cruel she is gentle; there is no pain in her realm, as In Mountain Echoes: Reminiscences of Kumaoni Women,
there is only hope. A life time hides in the space between Namita Gokhale writes that the temple of Naina Devi in
images that Shakuntala has and she wonders, “What do we Nainital is supposed to be the geographical spot where the
live for? Why do we die? To run away, always to run away eyes of Sati fell to the earth. Superstitions are popular
from the self? Does the appetite for life become its own among Paharis, and there are numerous stories about local
meal? Can the thirst of the river ever slake its waters?” 6 tantrics and sorcerers. There is the story of the temple of
Namita Gokhale also recounts the strange and Goddess Kalika or Mahakali situated in a pine – forest to
unforgettable encounter that changed Shivani’s life, one of the east of Gangolighat. Anyone who heard the voice of
the four women whose recollection of life in the Kumaoni the powerful and vocal Goddess died, and hence the local
hills is portrayed in the book Mountain Echoes : populace started migrating in large numbers. Then,
Reminiscences of Kumaoni Women. One day when Shivani sometime in the early eighth century, Adi Shankaracharya
and her sister were alone in the house they heard a loud came to the mountains, drumming out Buddhism and local
rasping voice shout “Jai Baba Gorakhnath”. They saw a practise with his "Digvijay," he performed some ritual
huge apparition - a lady with a disheveled appearance prayers, and symbolically sealed the Goddess with a stone
whose “eyes were like burning embers, huge gigantic slab, thus silencing her. In this way the “civilizing”
shoulders and enormously strong arms”. A complexion mission of High Brahminism succeeded.The full impact of
like “burnished copper with strange beads and Rudraksh Shakti was realised by Adi Shankaracharya in Kashmir.
necklaces strung with bleached white bones”.7 This Another story striking as being of “abiding relevance” is of
woman of “fearsome and gargantuan proportions”, 11 Shri Ballabh Pande, a Rajguru adept in tantrashastra.
barked at them in to get her food.Her eyes are described as Tantra shastra is one of the most misunderstood subjects in
red with intoxication and in absolute rage, her hair is the world, not just in India. Tantriks are people who dabble
shown disheveled, small fangs sometimes protrude out of in strange, awful, and mysterious rites that involve visits to
her mouth and her tongue is lolling. She is often shown cremation grounds and the use of wine and women. He is
naked or just wearing a skirt made of human arms and a also feared because he is said to have the ability to both
garland of human heads.She is accompanied by serpents cause harm and bring relief and good fortune. The so-

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called Tantriks run a flourishing business catering to the necklaces strung with bleached white bones”.9 This
needs of politicians, men in trade and industries and in woman of “fearsome and gargantuan proportions”,10
other walks of life. Most of these Tantriks, after acquiring barked at them in to get her food.Her eyes are described as
some powers through basic Tantrik practises, use them for red with intoxication and in absolute rage, her hair is
petty monetary gain. Tantra Shastra is part of the Dharma shown disheveled, small fangs sometimes protrude out of
Shastra of the Hindus and has its roots in the Vedas. The her mouth and her tongue is lolling. She is frequently
origin and flow of Tantra Shastra and Shiva Shakti depicted naked or wearing only a skirt made of human
upasana must be seen in the sombre and awe-inspiring arms and a garland of human heads.
dance of time. According to our Shastras the Vedas are She is also accompanied by serpents and a jackal while
revealed to the Rishis in every Satya Yugas and they are standing on an apparent dead Shiva, usually with her right
gradually withdrawn in the succeeding yugas and very foot forward to represent the more popular Dakshinamarga
little of them is left in Kaliyuga. There are twenty one or right-handed path, as opposed to the more infamous and
branches of Rigveda, hundred and nine of Yajurveda, fifty transgressive Vamamarga or left-handed path.11
of Atharva veda and thousands of Sam veda. Only two of
Namita Gokhale sets the tone of the mystical in the novel
the two branches of Sam Veda are now extant in this world
The Book Of Shadows, as she expresses feelings of
and the rest have been withdrawn. Rig Veda, Atharva
security of the narrator Rachita Tiwari sheltered in the
Veda, and Yajur Veda have all been depleted in the same
presence of supernatural; which were different from the
way.The long-drawn Vedic yagnas cannot be performed or
bewildering transient world of reality. She begins the book
benefited from by men in the Kaliyuga.So, in His infinite
with the following lines from Ovid, Metamorphosis – “My
mercy, Mahadeva revealed the Tantras to the men and
intention is to tell of bodies changed to different
women of our time.However, the principles of Tantrik
forms.”12The narrator Rachita Tiwari, after suffering an
worship, particularly Shakti worship, were known to a
acid attack expresses oneness with the house she lived in.
subset of spiritual practitioners even before the Kaliyuga,
She says, “We have closed ranks together, me and the
and they ran parallel to the Vedic sadhana system. Tantric
house. We have become as one spirit, it is us against the
rites are 'kriyatmak' and have to be practised. Having their
world.”13
roots in the Vedic system they are comparatively short and
easier to perform than the Vedic Yagnas and they are In one South Indian tradition, Shiva and Kali compete in a
highly potent and give quick results and raise man to dance. After defeating the two demons Sumbha and
godhood. Tantric practitioners were frowned upon by Nisumbha, Kali takes residence in a forest. With fierce
those who followed the orthodox form of Vedic rituals companions she terrorizes the surrounding area. 21 The
even in Satayuga, Treta, and Dwapar.This Tantra shastra is morning after Rachita’s visit to the temple when she met
another aspect of the mysticism that Gokhale touches upon strange women in the hills, the priest’s wife came to
lightly in her books.She justifies and deifies it, in deliver the prasad sent by the priest. While she spoke of
Shakuntala. The tantric in “Shakuntala – The Play of incongruous things she squinted from the bright morning
Memory”, tried to misbehave with Shakuntala, by putting sunlight but she cast no shadow. This detail petrified
her hand under his loincloth. It is the tantric like the one Rachita and was “the last straw in the cumulative sense of
Shakuntala encountered at the fair that have maligned this dementia”14 that was destroying her. Lady, the bhotiya dog
divine doctrine. Although images of divine copulation are too sensed something or someone and her fur stood up,
frequently contested, the general consensus is that they are “her speckled twist of tail bristled in alarm and
benign and devoid of any carnal impurities in their aggression”.15 After sometime however “a nimbus of
substance. shade mimicked her movements, and a shadow fell behind
her, quite as it should have”.16Thus Kali, the slayer of
Namita Gokhale also recounts the strange and
demons Chanda and Munda, had slayed the demons of
unforgettable encounter that changed Shivani’s life, one of
Rachita’s insecurities, and it was after the visit of the
the four women whose recollection of life in the Kumaoni
woman that Rachita recovered.
hills is portrayed in the book Mountain Echoes :
Reminiscences of Kumaoni Women. One day when Further after the death of Mukul, what surprised Parvati
Shivani and her sister were alone in the house they heard a about death was that the soul departs, leaving the body
loud rasping voice shout “Jai Baba Gorakhnath”. They saw forlorn. “The body departs, it is taken away, disposed of, it
a huge apparition - a lady with a disheveled appearance decomposes, it is gone. The ashes are thrown into muddy
whose “eyes were like burning embers, huge gigantic rivers, crows come to eat the sacrificial rice, and the lamp
shoulders and enormously strong arms”. A complexion that guides the spirit to the other world is extinguished on
like “burnished copper with strange beads and Rudraksh the thirteenth day. But things remain.”17She says about

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death that “death is not final. It is an adversary, an unequal oath never to yawn under the peepul tree, or open her
one, and the visitors in this battle are rocks and stones. mouth in any way, without first snapping fingers to scare
And razors. And wristwatches, even if they have not been away the phantoms. Then to assuage her fears,
wound up, and lie coiled like mortally wounded snakes in grandmother told her that these spirits were actually
steel boxes, next to cheap leather wallets from which the helping and serving them, and were in a sense their
notes have been removed, though not the coins, and familiars, as the shrine beneath the peepul tree kept them
squeezed – out tubes of shaving cream. These are my fed and clothed. In Shakuntala – The Play of Memory,
views on mortality.”18 Shakuntala too had heard that evil spirits phantoms,
In the works of Namita Gokhale mystical stories were specters, disembodied souls as well as kind spirits lurked
recounted by people. One such story in the The Book of in the forest.
Shadow was of a rich man’s son in Verawan, whose From the ongoing analysis, it can be concluded that
wedding procession of boats came in upon every full moon mysticism is nothing but the undying surrender to the
night even though they had drowned fifty years ago. higher power, it does not define that power, because it
Impossible encounters with witches and ghosts and differs from religion, in some places, mysticism resonates
specters were recounted. Also prevalent was the story of a with occult and black practices too. But meditation and
barat or wedding procession of a family of ghosts. These spirituality are also a part of it. The word comes from a
bhoots or ghosts were seen flying across the hills and Greek word which means ‘to conceal’, or a mystery
dales. On full moon nights these ghosts sat down to religion, in certain cultures. Therefore when Gokhale
breakfast with purees as large as elephants. These writes about the Gods and supernatural apparitions, she is
magnificent tales were made interesting by interspacing trying to attain that union and justifying the different sets
them with real people whom they had heard of, thus the of practices, especially in the Indian context.
fear was made to mingle with an insatiable
curiosity.People have been reporting seeing ghostly
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they are simply passages, points of entry and exit. [10] Kurtz, Paul. “The New Paranatural Paradigm: Claims of
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In Things To Leave Behind also she registers spattering’s Dead”. http://www.csicop.org/si/2000-11/paranatural.html
of mysticism, throwing unexplained references here and [11] Gokhale, Namita. Mountain Echoes : Reminiscences of
there.In India philosophy and religion are mingled in an Kumaoni Women. New Delhi : Roli Books. 1998.p.26.
amazing way. In almost all of Namita Gokhale’s works [12] Gokhale, Namita. A Himalayan Love Story. New Delhi :
references have been made to this fact. In Gods, Graves Penguin Books India. 2001. p.14.
and Grandmother, Gudiya is warned by Ammi that [13] Gokhale, Namita. Mountain Echoes : Reminiscences of
disembodied souls flocked to the peepul tree, waiting to Kumaoni Women. New Delhi : Roli Books. 1998.p.54.
pounce into the mouths of unwary travellersand take
possession of them. Gudiya was made to take a solemn

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