This book presents a collection of essays and lectures written by the author between 2011 and 2018. Its underlying theme – as suggested by its title – is the uniqueness of the relationship between the Hindustani musician and his art. This uniqueness is moulded by the fact that the tradition enjoins upon the performer the simultaneous role of a composer. This makes Hindustani music a three-dimensional art: contemplative, expressive and communicative. These three components serve to make Hindustani music a remarkable manifestation of continuity within change, and individuality within conformism.
Viewed from this perspective, Hindustani music is not merely north Indian art music. It is inextricably linked to a multiplicity of other musical traditions – folk, devotional, tribal, martial and popular – and is an active participant in the totality of the cultural process. Every piece of performed music speaks, in some manner, on behalf the generation performing it, and addresses the corresponding generations of audiences. For the author, therefore, it is not merely sufficient to understand what Hindustani music is. It is necessary also to seek insights into why it is what it is.
In this book, the author relentlessly pursues his intellectual aims by borrowing ideas from a wide range of disciplines: sociology, linguistics, cultural anthropology, acoustics, aesthetics, demography, economics, marketing finance, psycho-analysis, mythology, philosophy and even mathematics. Despite its diverse intellectual canvas, the book retains the essential “Indian-ness” of the author’s argument, and simultaneously addresses an international readership.

Music has been the subject of study in India since Vedic period. Various ragas are the life of Indian music. ‘Thaat’ is the method of dividing ragas in Hindustani classical music. The main raga of each ‘Thaat’ is called the ‘Ashraya’ raga and other ragas are ‘Ashrita’ ragas. Extracting from the texts written by Pt. Vishnu Narayana Bhatkhande, Pt. Narayana Moreshwar Khare and other well-known musicians, this book is an attempt to make the readers aware of the ‘Ashraya’ ragas. Through this book, Shobha Singh has very clearly presented the concept of ‘Ashraya’ raga and its significance. The language of this book is simple and easy to comprehend. भारत में संगीत वैदिक काल से ही अध्ययन का विषय रहा है। विभिन्न राग भारतीय संगीत की जान हैं। थाट (अथवा ठाट) हिंदुस्तानी शास्त्रीय संगीत में रागों के विभाजन की पद्धति है। प्रत्येक थाट के प्रमुख राग को आश्रय राग एवं अन्य रागों को आश्रित राग कहा जाता है। पं. विष्णु नारायण भातखण्डे, पं. नारायण मोरेश्वर खरे एवं अन्य जाने-माने संगीतज्ञों द्वारा लिखित ग्रंथों को निचोड़ते हुए, यह पुस्तक पाठकों को आश्रय रागों के बारे में अवगत कराने का प्रयास है। इस पुस्तक के माध्यम से शोभा सिंह ने आश्रय राग की अवधारणा और उसे महत्व को बहुत ही स्पष्ट रूप से प्रस्तुत किया है। इस पुस्तक की भाषा सरल एवं पठनीय है।