This is a story of a teacher who once — while teaching his students — says, “I have made you human from donkey by beating, but you don’t understand.” A washerman who had no children passes by and hears this. He then approaches the teacher and pleads with him to turn a donkey into a son for his sake. The teacher agrees to this and asked him to return after six months. The washerman returns after six months and asks for his son. The teacher replies that he taught and trained him so much that he became a judge at the Allahabad High Court. The washerman then visits the court, and the story continues.

This is a recording of a conversation while cleaning fishes. There was some conversation between women who were cleaning fishes. In order to get natural data, Maaz goes near to them, sits, and starts recording without alerting them. Suddenly as few seconds pass, one of them alerts, and everyone takes a surprise! But a few moments later, they become comfortable with it. They then start imitating and mocking the far northern variety of Azamgarhi spoken in Dewārā, the flood plain area of the Ghaghra river in the northern part of Azamgarh.

This is a conversation initially between Munni, her sister, Maaz, and his uncle when they visit her home in Ladhuwāī̃ village. Munni is the wife of Naushad, who has worked with the Maaz’s family for several decades. After a while, Mr. Naushad arrives, and he too joins the conversation.

This is a photograph of Toofani Kaka with Maaz Shaikh.

This is a photograph of Shahida Bano reciting a folk song which is being recorded by a recorder in Sonwara village of Azamgarh.

This is a photograph of Toofani Kaka.

This is a retelling of the story of Raja Janmejai and of the King and Queen of Mehnagar narrated by Toofani Kaka

This is a conversation between four people in Sonwārā, the researcher’s village. Maaz, accompanied by his cousin Noman, visits Shahida Bano to document some folk songs mostly sung on the occasion of marriages. Rehana Bano—the neighbor of Shahida Bano—on noticing some folksongs being sung and recording taking place, joins the gathering at the request of Shahida. Maaz and Noman then ask her to brief them on topics such as changing times, a description of the demography of the village Sonwārā, the languages/ varieties spoken by Muslims and Hindus. Meanwhile, Maaz—on having noticed Shahida’s language to match with Bhojpuri than Azamgarhi—starts records the ongoing conversation. Shahida then extends the conversation to cover family members and some significant events along with some personal narratives. While Shahida Bano talks in Bhojpuri, the other people converse in Azamgarhi.