Sonal Mansingh has lived a charmed life, her passion for her art rivalled only by her passion for life. This book attempts to understand the woman and the artist behind the diva. What emerges is the portrait of an artist immersed in dance, whose life has been as tempestuous as it has been path-breaking, as fascinating as it has been heartbreaking. Sonal Mansingh is a cultural icon, with a legacy that spans three dance forms—Bharatnatyam, Odissi and Chhau. Hers is also the story of the classical arts in post-Independence India, and in this book, recent history intertwines with personal memoirs to make for a truly entertaining read.