“I am a Bollywood fight director,” explained the man holding the goat, “and for many years I was a stunt fighter. Now I am standing for election. That is why I have brought this bakri all the way from Bihar, in my own car – to offer it to the goddess.”

Milan Ghoshal leant a little closer, in a confidential manner: “My seven colleagues have come to Ma Tara too,” he said, pointing to a small group of burly-looking men in short sleeves loitering some distance away. “You see,” he explained, “in our state, politics is only for the strong. There are many powerful men competing for the Bihar Assembly.”