India's rich cultural legacy has been founded on the abiding faith of the Indians in the divine power, whose worship had found expression through dance. 'Bhakti,' or devotion, was the underlying essence of the various dance forms that developed in India. Indian Classical Dances is a unique presentation of the eight classical dance styles – Bharatanatyam, Kathak, Kathakali, Kuchipudi, Manipuri, Mohiniyattam, Odissi, and Sattriya, through a concise portrayal of the background of each dance form, the salient features, format of presentation, music and costume. The simplistic approach of the narration coupled with the unique collection of photographs, will enable the lay reader to visualise, comprehend and appreciate the diverse dance forms of India.

About the Author: Hailing from an illustrious family of freedom fighters, Shovana Narayan is one of the foremost and renowned dancer 'par excellence,' whose name has become synonymous with Kathak. Her individualistic, contemporary, and dynamic choreography shows a unique blend of both the schools of this dance form. Her in-depth researches on the development of dance in general, and Kathak in particular, have found expression in many of her works and have received great acclaim.

Her creativity and contribution to the art has been admired and recognised through numerous awards including the coveted Government of India President's awards the 'Padmashri' (1992) and the 'Sangeet Natak Akademi Award' (1999-2000). She is also a member of the Indian Audits and Accounts Service. She is married to Dr. Herbert Traxl (Austrian Ambassador) and has one son.