The book narrates the story of the sad, rather step-motherly treatment meted out by orthodox musicians to Thumri-especially their castigation of Thumri as a dance form. Such apathy and castigation stem from a colonial milieu and the education that went with it. For all practical purposes not only is the Thumri’s dance portion too often totally ignored, but it is even considered superfluousl. The author impresseson the reader the close link between the dance and the music. Such at least was the indissoluble union of style in the past. The author hopes that the book will correct this disturbed relationship. As such the work is of immense artistic importance.