One of the most memorable sights of Manipur is the dance of the region performed amid complicated rituals and in a language of unrecognizable nasat twang and sounds. The stiff red, green and gold spangled skirts shimmering under the gossamer gold veils and the plaintive singing style of the raas is perhaps the instant connection when Manipuri classical dance is mentioned.

In Dances of India: Manipuri, the classical dance from the eastern-most end of India, is marked by a delicacy that is steeped in tradition. The book takes one through the subtle nuances of the form of the supernatural to the mythological, concerned as it is with the lives of celestial beings, deities, demons and sages.