In this personally charged work of reflection, reminiscence, and reportage, Gita Mehta serves as a guide to India's multihued mosaic. India is a land of great contrasts. It is the world's most populous democracy, but still upholds the caste system. It is a burgeoning economic superpower, but one of the poorest nations on Earth. It is the home of the worlds biggest movie industry after Hollywood, as well as two still-practiced religions that are millennia old.Mehta knows India in all its rich detail -- its folkways and history, its culture and politics, its ancient traditions and current concerns. A high-profile writer, known for her sharp tongue and brilliant observations, Gita Mehta gives a loving, but unflinching assessment of India today -- entertaining, informative, and wholly personal.