At the hub of all the hype is, of course, religion. To be more precise, an `incarnation' of the Mother Goddess. It all started a couple of months ago when, disappointed at not having the oil to light a lamp during a vrat, a young girl prayed to the goddess. The goddess reportedly appeared before her, and expressed her readiness to grant her a boon. The girl sought to be given the goddess's appearance and so, as they say, it was.

This is just one of at least three stories about `Dasha Ma' doing the rounds,but they are less important than the revolution they have wrought in this corner of the state. At least four lakh people are estimated to have visited this place -- located half-an-hour away from the main road -- in the past two months. And they included not just credulous villagers from the neighbouring talukas, but also Nadiad, Ahmedabad and Vadodara.

To cater to their demands, a few hundred stalls have sprung up, dealing in everything from plastic toys and bangles to the newly released cassettes of bhajans of the `Minawadawali Dasha Ma'. Six days ago, a fairground, complete with ferris wheels and a hastily-put-together toy train, set up shop to do brisk business.

But the busiest shops, of course, are the ones selling coconuts, to be given as offerings to `Mata'. Women sing and chant hymns as they head for a darshan of `Dasha Ma'. The divine incarnation herself lies in a tin-and-thatch temple, surrounded by cheap prints of assorted gods and goddesses. From her attire and make-up, she lookslike she's stepped out of a badly made mythological.

There is a crowd about seven deep before the temple, but no one is allowed in. A frail old man in a shabby dhoti and kurta urges people to keep moving. ``Don't stand here'', he admonishes gaping onlookers.

After some time, he takes a break from his duties and comes out of the crowd. A devotee asks if `Dasha Ma' will answer any questions. ``No, no questions now'', he is told. But `Mata' will sing tonight, he adds. ``You can come then''. And when is the next miracle due? ``Oh, she will change appearance on Monday'', he says. Till then, it's life as usual for `Dasha Ma'.

No government representative has visited the spot in his official capacity, but that has not stopped the myth-making (no pun intended). Tales are recounted of how the collector tried to shackle `Mata', and how the shackles became red hot, causing the collector saab to flee.

``We have been unable to visit the spot'', says Jayram Desai, a Nadiad-based rationalist.``But I doubt if we'll be allowed to ask any questions''.

Which is no wonder. The villagers have a good thing going, and they know it. Nothing less than divine intervention could have brought them so much prosperity -- and a regular bus service -- in so little time.