Many Arts In Traditional India Were The Preserve Of Hereditary Practitioners, Some Of Whom Are Still Supported By Hindu Temples. An Example Is The Community Of Hereditary Musicans (Kirtankars), Who Still Serve In The Temples Of The Vallabha Sampraday, A Vaishnava Sect With Its Main Centre In Nathdvara, Rajasthan. This Book Deals With The Role Of Music In The Sampraday And With The Lives Of The Musicians. It Is Concerned With The Living Tradition, And What It Can Tell Us About The Past. By Revealing The Context In Which Music Was Created In Nathdvara, It Provides New Insights Into The Functioning Of Traditional Artist Communities And Their Response To The Challenges Of A Changing World.