CONTENTS Introduction 1. Uniqueness of the Tradition of Teaching Indian Classical Music Arising out of the Concept of “Kanthasth” Knowledge 2. The Principles and Aesthetic Aspects of Improvising and Creating Compositions in the Field of the Art of Tabla 3. A Journey from Ancient Tripuskar Vaadya to Modern Indian Percussion Instrument Tabla 4. Traditional Tabla Playing with Diverse Compositions 5. Philosophical Aesthetics and Indian Music About the Author: Retiring as a Senior Reader from Indraprastha College for Women in 2006, Manjula Saxena has taught philosophy with aplomb for about 40 years. She also had the privilege of lecturing to post-graduate students on three subjects of her special interest, namely, metaphysics, philosophy of religion, and aesthetics. As a student too, her career has been noteworthy. She enjoyed a national scholarship as she pursued her post-graduate studies which she completed, as expected, in the first division. What is more, she has contributed articles, fairly regularly, to some national and international journals, besides giving frequent talks on various subjects on A.I.R. Above all, she has all along been popular with her students, essentially because of her ability to explain intricate philosophical problems in simple language.