Shri Sangita Kaladhara; by Dahyalala Shivarama; Hindi translation by Bihari Byohara and Chetna Jyotisha Byohara

After its attainment of Independence, India has witnessed the quickening of a new life in the field of art as well. Cultural exchanges between its various regions have shown a marked upswing, and reflection on cultural matters has also increased beyond expectations. Concurrently, in quite a few of our colleges and universities aesthetics has been included in the syllabi as an optional subject of study. Some books on this subject, mostly written in the traditional way, are surely available; but philosophical aesthetics, which is today regarded as a distinct intellectual achievement of the twentieth century, still remains largely neglected in the field of Indian scholarship. What is worse, a Hindi book on this form of aesthetics has never been attempted before the present work.
It is precisely this need which this book seeks to meet fairly. With an eye to facilitate understanding of the basic concepts and related problems of contemporary aesthetics, the author has taken pains to give appropriate references, as illustration, to Hindi, Urdu, and English poetry, and music. This should make the book useful to students of both philosophy and music.
Its language is simple Hindustani; and the manner of writing is free from needless ambiguities. Readers in general should therefore find it not only easy to follow, but interesting as well.

There are three major ways of looking at Hindustani sangeet. An easy-to-follow discussion of its basic concepts is one. A truthful and sympathetic, yet not merely laudatory, account of the life and art of some of its masterly exponents is another. Both these approaches have been fairly common so far. The third way, which has not yet received the attention it deserves, tries to dwell upon Hindustani music, rhythm, and (Kathak) dance explicitly in relation to philosophy and philosophers of art. It is from this point of view that the present book should be welcome. It does not, however, overlook the first two approaches. Besides quite a few essays that explore the aesthetical aspects of Hindustani music, the book takes a renovative look at Kathak dance, and engages the reader in a discussion of how far our music can be regarded as spiritual. These and some other key features should make this book acceptable to both rasikas and musicologists.