It is frequently played in popular and folk music performances in India, Bangladesh, Afghanistan, Pakistan, Nepal and Sri Lanka.

[4][5] The tabla is an essential instrument in the bhakti devotional traditions of Hinduism and Sikhism, such as during bhajan and kirtan singing.

[13] The playing technique is complex and involves extensive use of the fingers and palms in various configurations to create a wide variety of different sounds and rhythms, reflected in mnemonic syllables (bol).

According to the legends, it was derieved from the ancient barrel drum known as "Mridana" where the deity Krishna is said to have cut it in half to create the Tabla.

The stone sculpture carvings in Bhaja Caves depict a woman playing a pair of drums, which some have claimed as evidence for the ancient origin of the tabla in India.

[17][18][19] A different version of this theory states that the tabla acquired a new Arabic name during the Islamic rule, having evolved from ancient Indian puśkara drums.

[20] However, it is not apparent in any of these ancient carvings that those drums were made of the same material and skin, or played the same music, as the modern tabla.

The South Indian text Silappatikaram, likely composed in the early centuries of 1st millennium CE, describes thirty types of drums along with many stringed and other instruments.

Beyond the root of the word, this proposal points to the documentary evidence that the Muslim armies had hundreds of soldiers on camels and horses carrying paired drums as they invaded the Indian subcontinent.

[11] Another version states that Amir Khusraw, a musician patronized by Sultan Alauddin Khalji invented the tabla when he cut an Awaj drum, which used to be hourglass shaped, into two parts.

However, no painting or sculpture or document dated to his period supports it with this evidence nor it was found in the list of musical instruments that were written down by Muslim historians.

[28] Similar artwork with seated musicians playing drums, but carved in stone, are found in the Ellora Caves,[29] and others.

[32] Various Hindu and Jain temples, such as the Eklingji in Udaipur, Rajasthan show stone carvings of a person playing tabla-like small pair of drums.

Small drums were popular during the Yadava rule (1210 to 1247) in the south, at the time when Sangita Ratnakara was written by Sarangadeva.

(meaning that these instruments existed since his time in 14th century or earlier).There is recent iconography of the drum like structure dating back to 1799.

[33] There are Hindu temple carvings of double hand drums resembling the tabla that date back to 500 BCE.

The drum is tuned to a specific note, usually either the tonic, dominant or subdominant of the soloist's key and thus complements the melody.

Cylindrical wood blocks, termed Gatta, are inserted between the strap and the shell allowing tension to be adjusted by their vertical positioning.

Fine tuning is achieved while striking vertically on the braided portion of the head using a small, heavy hammer.

[36] Syahi is constructed using multiple layers of a paste made from starch (rice or wheat) mixed with a black powder of various origins.

The precise construction and shaping of this area is responsible for modification of the drum's natural overtones, resulting in the clarity of pitch (see inharmonicity) and variety of tonal possibilities unique to this instrument which has a bell-like sound.

The skill required for the proper construction of this area is highly refined and is the main differentiating factor in the quality of a particular instrument.

[37] For stability while playing, each drum is positioned on a toroidal bundle called chutta or guddi, consisting of plant fiber or another malleable material wrapped in cloth.

Indian music is traditionally practice-oriented and until the 20th century did not employ written notations as the primary media of instruction, understanding, or transmission.

The differences arise in representation of various concepts of a compositions, such as Taali, Khaali, Sum (the first beat in a rhythmic cycle), and Khand (divisions).

The physical structure of these drums also share similar components: the smaller pakhavaj head for the dayan, the naqqara kettledrum for the bayan, and the flexible use of the bass of the dholak.

[40] Tabla is played from the top and uses "finger tip and hand percussive" techniques allowing more complex movements.

Other emphasized parts of the tala which are represented by Taali (clap), while Khali (empty) portions are played in a relaxed manner.

Some of the popular Talas in Hindustani Classical music include: Tabla gharanas are responsible for the development of variety of new bols, characteristic playing techniques, composition styles and rhythmic structures.

The reason for this is that these talas/thekas mentioned in the previous line are specifically played for Semi-Classical and light music (Bhajans, Kirtans, Thumris, etc.)