Born in the kothas of Mumbai and Kolkata, in this poignant memoir Manish Gaekwad narrates the story of his mother, Rekhabai, a gypsy from the Kanjarbhat tribe of Pune, who was sold and trained as a nautch girl. Raising her son, Rekha was aware of the world changing around her. Kothas were no longer a centre for aesthetics, and society ostracized their art.

How would she provide for him when her career came to a standstill? Manish mixes his mother's shunned narrative with his candour and humour, giving a face and dignity to the many nameless courtesans he has known, and whose stories can be told through him.