“Dating back several centuries, Nangiarkoothu is a rare form of classical Sanskrit theatre from South India that is performed only in the temple, and only by a female solo artiste. Teyyam another art form from Kerela is a sacred folk ritual dance performed from December to April where it is believed that the spirit of the local deity enters the performer’s body.

Legacy Keepers is a meticulously research and beautifully produced book that is a moving journey of discovery into the hearts of the passionate artistes who perform rare classical and folk dances in remote corners of India and keep the heritage alive. They have broken boundaries, stereotypes, old caste or gender based societal structures to emerge as performers who fight the odds to preserve India’s ancient culture.”