First appeared in www.scroll.in on January 10, 2015. Thumri was originally a vocal form linked to kathak dance and women performers employed adaa, or hand gestures, and facial expressions to communicate the multi-layered imagery hidden in the song-text including its erotic overtones.  While thumri and its allied form dadra was performed primarily by women performers, there have been male vocalists of repute who have handled these forms with the delicacy that they deserve. Faiyaz Khan was one of the most