Set in the historic Indian city of Lucknow, rich in its classical musical and cultural traditions, this novel weaves in, exquisitely, the themes of spirituality and sensuousness, the divine and the carnal, decay and regeneration. The backdrop is one of contemporary India, where this story plays out. The story is that of Sarika, a young Indian music prodigy. Through the unique lens of the music world, the story examines the relationships of guru and pupil, parent and child, husband and wife and, finally, the artist within her world.