India, Sept. 30 -- Most tourists to Paris strive to see the Eiffel, and the Mona Lisa. The tower is grand; and the painting, a museum exhibit, is profoundly enigmatic.

Most tourists to Delhi strive to see the Qutub. This tower too is grand. On the other hand, a particularly striking museum exhibit in the city fails to command the Mona Lisa's wild popularity, though it is as enigmatic.

Nevertheless, the Dancing Girl is one of the most celebrated souvenirs in the National Museum's massive collection, representing various epochs of the Indian past. Last week, a university professor was briefly arrested for allegedly stealing the Dancing Girl's replica from the museum.

Sculptured in bronze 4,000 years ago, the Dancing Girl was discovered i...