ABSTRACT
In the previous four chapters, archaeological and sculptural data pertaining to religion in Gujarat were discussed. In this chapter, the concentration will be on the data available from the Mahabharata and the sixth–seventh-century text the Skanda Purana pertaining to sacred sites in Gujarat and religious developments in the region. A study of these texts becomes imperative to have a better understanding of religious developments and a more comprehensive picture of the region. Replete with stories and legends, the Puranas also furnish data regarding the religious beliefs and practices of a region even though this requires a cautious sifting of facts from legends and myths. The aid of archaeological and inscriptional data will be taken to determine the degree to which certain rituals and festivals were practised and the presence of sites mentioned in the texts.
