CONTENTS:-
(i) Nature and importance of the subject
(ii) Scope of the subject
(iii) Sources
Chapter I- Serpent Worship In Ancient India
(i) Introductory
(ii) The snake cult in art and literature
(iii) Association of the snake cult with the different religious systems
(iv) Methods of worship
(v) Origin of other beliefs relating to the cult
Chapter II- Socio-Religious Background
Chapter III- A Comparative Study of The Stories Of Manasa
(i) Bengal
(a) The story told by Bipradas
(b) Variations in other versions
(c) Discussions
(ii) Assam
(iii) Bihar
(iv) The story of Manasa in the Puranas
Chapter IV- Original Location And Historicity Of The Principal Legend
PART -I
Original location
PART -II
Historicity of the principal legend
Chapter V- Evolution Of The Goddess
(i) Worship by the lower classes
(ii) Worship by the upper class women
(iii) Worship by the upper class men
(iv) Worship by the Muslims
Chapter VI- Relations of Manasa With Other Cult-Divinities
(i) Manasa and Chandi
(ii) Manasa and Siva
(iii) Manasa and Dharma
(iv) Manasa and Ganga
Chapter VII- The Iconography And Heredity Of Manasa
Chapter VIII- Rites And Cermonies Connected With Manasa
PART -I
A. Bengal :
I. Periods and days of worship
Introduction
Districts of West Bengal :
(a) Bankura
(b) Birbhum
(c) Burdwan
(d and e) Cooch-Behar and Darjeeling
(f) Hooghly
(g) Howrah
(h) Jalpaiguri
(i) Malda
(j) Midnapore
(k) Murshidabad
(l) Nadia
(m) 24- Parganas
(n) West Dinajpur
II. Methods and places of worship
(a) Methods
(b) Places
III. Priestly functions and sacrificial offerings
(a) Priestly functions
(b) Sacrificial offerings
IV. Purposes of worship
(a) Fertility goddess
(b) Curer of diseases
(c) Rain giver
(d) Wealth giver
(e) Tutelary goddess
(f) Gramadevi
(g) Other aspects
Districts of East Bengal
(a) Bakarganj
(b) Bogra
(c) Chittagong
(d) Dacca
(e) Faridpur
(f+g) Jessore and Khulna
(h) Mymensingh
(i) Noakhali
(j) Pabna
(k+l) Rajshahi and Rangpur
B. Tripura
C. Bihar
D. Assam
(a) Introduction
(b) Periods, methods and places of worship
(c) Purposes of worship, priestly functions and sacrificial offerings
(d) Festivals
(e) Worship of Manasa at Kamakhya
E. Orissa
PART -II
I. Manasa Vrata
II. Festivals
(a) The Jhanpan or Jhapan ceremony
(b) Boat-Racing ceremony
(c) Arandhana ceremony
III. Folk-entertainments and the Manasa legend
(a) Bhasan Yatra
(b) Jagarana gan
(c) Rayani gan
(d) Putul nach
(e)Patas and Patua Sangit
(f) Other methods
Summary And Conclusion
Appendices
I. List of the Manasamangal poets
II. List of the name and epithets of Manasa according to different sources
III. Table of equivalent English months in relation to our months
IV. Specimen of a completed questionnaire translated from Bengali
V. Chart showing the percentage of Manasa worshippers in different districts of west Bengal
