Tala or the Pulse of the Raga : Indian Classical Music

This article describes – Tala or the Pulse of the Raga: Indian Classical Music. Although Tala is often synonymized with rhythm, its significance is much wider. Tala is the science and system of punctuating our music with beats. The roots of the word Tala are derived from “Ta” which comes from Tandava, the dance of Shiva, and “La” which comes from Lasya, the dance of the World-Mother, Parvati. Others believe that this may also have come from the sanskrit word “Tal” meaning the palm of the hand, perhaps implying that in the beginning the clapping of hands was utilized to indicate the rhythm.

Tala or the Pulse of the Raga

Taal, Tala, Talam :

The Tala organizes rhythm into a structured recurring pattern. The beats of the Tala do not proceed linearly but in closed loops or cycles of six, eight, ten, twelve, fourteen, sixteen, or at times even larger numbers of beats. There are also cycles having an odd number of beats. Among these beats, some are stressed and some unstressed. These various cycles are also denoted as different Talas, or Tals, as for example, Ektal, Jhaptal, Tintal, Choutal, Adachoutal, etc.

Talas has gradually grown in number and complexity, but from beats of twenty upwards they become too unwieldy to remember and handle.

On the percussion instruments, the Tabla and the Pakhawaj, rests the responsibility of spelling out the beats in a cycle or Tala. Each beat in a cycle is not just a beat like any other, but it has its own separate and distinct identity, marked by a different kind of sound produced on the Tabla or Pakhawaj. These sounds are called Bols.

The work of the percussionist, during music, performance, is not merely to beat out the basic cycle of the Tala, but also to include in it many interesting improvisations, which are cleverly patterned conglomerations of the various sounds or mnemonics of the Tabla or Pakhwaj, properly punctuated.

A language consists not merely of its alphabets and words but also of its punctuations and pauses in between words. While speaking the language, these have to be properly and faithfully presented, in order to convey the message clearly.

So also, the repertoire of a percussionist has many messages to convey to the listener, -a process in which its ‘alphabets’ and ‘words’ are as important as the pauses and punctuations in between. In this respect, Tala can be said to have a distinct language of its own.

Matra:

A Matra is a beat, stressed or unstressed.

Let us listen to Teental which has 16 Matras or beats.
Debendra Chakraborty – Tabla – Teental

Avarta:

This is a single complete cycle of a Tala.
Let us listen once again to Teental with the repetition of cycles or Avartas.

Debendra Chakraborty – Tabla – Teental [ Mentioned Above ]

Sam :

The first beat of the cycle of the Tala is always stressed and is the most emphatic. It is known as the Sam and is the anchor of the Tala or cycle. Mostly the emphasis in a Bandish falls on the
Sam of the Tala.

Likewise, in musical compositions, the main theme or Sthayee has a particular starting note, also marked out as the Sam, which must always coincide with the Sam of the Tala cycle.

It is to the Sam that the musician and the percussionist must always return after their respective stretches of improvisations, leading to a release of the tension which has been built up. Debendra Chakraborty – Tabla – Teental [ Mentioned Above ]

Now let us listen to a concert by an instrumentalist and notice how the musician comes back to the Sam after each improvisation. Protyush Banerjee – Sarod – Raga Kamod [ Youtube will be linked later]

Khali :

Some segments of the Tala contain softer stresses or unaccented beats shown merely by a wave of the hand. This gives the Tala a sense of pulsation. This segment is known as Khali, which means ’empty’. By its relation to the Khali the musician anticipates the coming of the Sam. Here is a piece in Teental where the beats 9, 10, 11 and 12 are Khali. Debendra Chakraborty – Tabla – Teental [ Mentioned Above ]

Theka :

When the percussionist plays only the Tala cycle with its characteristic ‘bols’ or syllables, without improvisation of any kind, the playing is known as Theka. It follows that each Tala has a prefixed and unalterable Theka. Here is an example of the Theka of Jhaptal.
Debendra Chakraborty – Tabla-Jhaptal

Bol :

Bol means ‘words’. In Indian music names have been given to different strikes upon the percussion instrument. Before going into the different types of sounds it is necessary to have an idea of the components of the striking surface of the two pieces of the Tabla.

The rim or peripheral part, covered with an extra annular strip of skin is the ‘Kinar’. The central part of the membrane has a thicker black area, which is in fact a layer formed out of a mixture of materials and which is stuck fast on to the skin. This is called ‘Gab’. In the Dayan, the right piece of the Tabla, the Gab is concentric while in the Bayan the left piece, the Gab is eccentrically placed.

The Kinar, the Gab, and the interspace between them, which is called ‘Sur’ in case of the Tabla, have each their individual importance and contribution in producing the different sound-syllables of the Tabla. Let us now get familiar with them.

Sound of the Dayan :

The alphabets of the Dayan, the right-hand Tabla are as follows:

Na and Ta:

Both are produced by the right-hand index finger striking the edge or Kinar of the Tabla. In the case of Na, the index finger is lifted up immediately after hitting, so that the ringing or vibration continues. While in the case of Ta the index finger rests on the Kinar after striking so that the vibration is dampened. All following illustrations of Bols by Debendra Chakraborty – Tabla

Tin:

Tin is made by the index finger of the right hand striking the annular interspace between the Gab and Kinar and lifted up after striking.

Tun or Thun:

The right-hand index finger strikes the Gab, towards its outer periphery, and is lifted up immediately to let the vibration continue.

Ne or Ti:

Struck by the right-hand middle finger (or middle and index fingers together) on the Gab and letting them rest there, this sound is really a damped Thun.

Ta (hard) and Ra:

Ta (hard) and Ra are sharp sounds made by the right-hand index finger on the Gab.

Di or Din:

All four fingers of the right hand, held together, are brought down on the Gab and lifted up to let the vibration continue.

Dhere:

Right-hand thumb and all the fingers are held close together, the palm is in a slightly cupped state and strikes the edges of the Tabla twice, once with the little finger-side edge of the palm and then immediately with the thumb-side edge.

The action of the hand and the sound in producing Dhere in quick succession reminds one of fish prancing in shallow waters.

Sound of the Bayan :

(the left-hand Tabla or the bass drum) There are two main sounds made with the left-hand Ghe and Ke.

Ghe or Ghi:

This is made by the middle and ring fingers striking together between the edge and the center of the Tabla.

Ke, Ki or Kat:

It is made by cupping the left hand and striking flat with all four fingers.

Dha:

Then there are the compound sounds. One is Dha which is a combination of Ghe and Na.

Dhin or Dhi:

The other is Dhin or Dhi and is a combination of Ghe and Thun.

Other Syllables:

There are many other strokes and sounds on the Tabla but we have confined ourselves to the most important and commonly used. Let us listen once again to all the sounds mentioned
above, and to a few simple words formed with these alphabets.

Na, Ta, Tin, Tun, Ti, Ta(hard), Dhin, Dhere Dhere, Ghe/Ghi, Ke/Ki/Kat, Tirkit, Dhage Tun, Titghitan, Takdhin, Gadin, etc.

Talas:

We now take up some common beat-cycles or Talas.

Debendra Chakraborty – Tabla -all following illustrations of Talas

Teental:

Teental is most frequently used for serious classical music. It consists of a cycle of 16 Matras divided into 4 sections of 4 beats each. The third section is the Khali.
The Bols of Teental are:
Dha dhin dhin dha/Dha dhin dhin dha
Dha tin tin ta/Ta dhin dhin dha

Teental is said to have originated from the sound of the trotting of the horse.
Amjad Ali Khan – Sarod – Raga Malkauns in Teental

Jhaptal:

Jhaptal has 10 Matras. The first and third sections have two beats and the second and fourth sections have three each. The third section is the Khali.The Bols of Jhaptal are:
Dhi na/Dhi dhi na/Ti na/Dhi dhi na
Amjad Ali Khan – Sarod – Raga Sahana in Jhaptal

Rupak:

Rupak has 7 Matras and is formed of three sections. The has 3 beats while the 2nd and 3rd have 2 beats. In the Talas, the first Sam is always the first beat of the first section, and normally the first section is stressed. But rupak is an exception. Though it contains the Sam, the first section is unstressed.
The Bols of Rupaktal are:

Tin tin na/ Dhin na/ Dhin na
Ravi Shankar – Sitar – Raga Abhogi in Rupaktal

Chautal:

This is primarily a Pakahwaj Tala, used in Dhrupad. It is in six sections of 2 Matras each making a total of 12 Matras, the second and fourth sections being Khalis. The Theka is: Dha Dha/ Dine
Ta/ Kat Tage/ Din Ta/ Tita Kata/ Gadi Ghen

Zia Mohiuddin Dagar – Been – Raga Chandrakauns in Chautal

Dhamar:

This is also primarily a Tala for Pakhawaj. It has fourteen Matras, in four sections of 5, 2, 3 and 4, the third section being the Khali. The Theka is:
Ka Dhi Ta Dhi Ta/ Dha-/Ga Dhi Na/ Dhi Na Ta –

Mark that the 7th and 14th Matras have no corres ponding percussion sounds, the time gaps being occupied by silence.
Dhamar is said to have originated from the heavy gait of an elephant.

Nikhil Banerjee – Sitar- Raga Hemlalit in Dhamar Tal

Ektal:

Ektal has 12 Matras, with 6 sections of two beats each. Ektal has several variations, and is used most commonly in vocal music, the Theka being:
Dhin Dhin/ Dhage Tirkit/ Tun Na/ Kat Te/ Dhage Tirkit/Dhin Na
Shivkumar Sharma – Santoor – Raga Sohini in Ektal

Dadra:

Dadra consists of a cycle of 6 Matras or beats divided into two sections of three each.
The bols of Dadra are: Dha, Dhi Na/ Na Tin Na
Bade Ghulam Ali Khan – Vocal – A Thumri in Dadra Tal

Keherva:

Keherva consists of a cycle of 8 Matras divided into 2 sections of 4 beats each.
The bols of Keherva are:
Dha Ge Tite/ Na Ge Dhin Na

Bismillah Khan – Shehnai – A Dhun in Keherva Tal

Other Talas:

There are many other Talas like Ada Chautal, Jhumra, Teora, Jat, Dipchandi, etc. Because of their special structure, even two Talas having the same number of beats may have very different movements and sound very different. The musician chooses the Tala according to the Raga and the message he wants to convey.

Tehayi or Tia:

The musician often ends a movement of improvisation with a final phrase repeated three times. This is known as Tehayi and means ‘threefold’.
Protyush Banerjee – Sarod -illustration of Tehayi

Sawal Jawab:

Hallo Galle Sometimes the percussion instrument takes up the rhythmical patterns or the phrases played by the main instrument and tries to imitate them as closely as possible. It would appear as though the Tabla were answering back. In a good concert, this creates the impression of a delightful and lively dialogue between the instrumentalist and the percussionist. This is known as Sawal Jawab or question and answer”.

Protyush Banerjee – Sarod – Debendra Charkraborty –
Tabla-illustration of Sawal Jawab
Here is an example of Sawal Jawab between Amjad Ali
Khan on the Sarod and Zakir Hussain on the Tabla. The Raga is Puriya Kalyan.
Amjad Ali Khan – Sarod – Zakir Hussaun – Tabla -Raga Pooriya Kalyan

Sath Sangat:

Sometimes the instrumentalist and the percussionist play a phrase together. And then the percussionist may take up his own run of improvisations simultaneously with that of the instrumentalist, both coming to the Sam together in a spectacular way.

This is known as Sath Sangat literally meaning ‘keeping company’. Reading each other’s thoughts and anticipation of each other’s possible sequence of improvisation patterns play a large role in the success of this type of playing.

Protyush Banerjee – Sarod – Debendra
Chakraborty – Tabla –
illustration of Sath Sangat
Here is another example of this harmony and dialogue between Amjad Ali Khan on the Sarod and Zakir Hussain on the Tabla.
Amjad Ali Khan – Sarod – Zakir Hussain – Tabla – Raga Puriya Kalyan
Let us end this section with a solo piece on the Tabla by Zakir Hussain.
Zakir Hussain – solo Tabla – Teental

Read More on Indian Classical Music :

• The Language of Hindustani Music – Indian Classical Music