The fourteen essays that constitute this book were originallycommissioned in the mid-1980s at the instance of Dr. Narayana Menon, the then Chairman ofthe Sangeet Natak Akademi, on the occasion of one of the first Festivals of India inEurope. Subsequently, these were published by the Sangeet Natak Akademi under the editorshipof Prof. Sumati Mutakar (1987). The work of well-known writers in the field of music, thecollection provides the general reader with a wide view of music in northern and southernIndia. The book has been out of print for some time though it hasremained in constant demand. It is therefore re-issued in an attractive new cover,but with all its content intact. I am sure readers will welcome back the publicationas they greeted it when it first appeared. Preface A collection of essays by diverse hands, Aspects of IndianMusic offers accounts of the prominent facets of the music of India. Contributions to the book are chiefly of three kinds; thoughnot separated in sections, they roughly follow the order described here.Writings of the first variety set out the basic concepts of raga and tala. Those of the secondexplain particular song-forms-dhrupada, khayal and thumri. To the third belongarticles on the teaching and conservation of music through the guru-shishya system and thegharanas. There are besides articles that share the nature of all three varieties, suchas the synoptic survey of Carnatic music-taking in its history, song-forms,instruments. In addition, there are essays on the raga-time association, ragamala paintings, andRabindrasangeet-the songs of Tagore. These several writings