Gurbani: Kinds of Tal

Indian Classical Music And Sikh Kirtan
by Gobind Singh Mansukhani (M.A., LL.B, Ph.D.) © 1982

Kinds of Tal

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Kinds of Tal
1) Kehrva (4/1). This tal contains four matras, it has sam on the first matra.

It is played as follows:

Matras 1 2 3 4
Words (bol) DHAGE NATI NAKA DHINA
Theka + 0

Some people play the Kehrva in eight matras as follows:
Matras 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8
Words (bol) DHA GE NA TI NA KA DHIN NA
Theka + 2 0 3

2) Dadra (6/2). It contains six matras, split into two parts, each of three matras. In this first part, there is one tali (hand clap), and in second part, there is one khali (empty). The first matrahas sam, while the fourth matra is khali (empty) as under:

Matras 1 2 3 4 5 6
Words DHA DHI NA TI TI NA
Theka + 0

3) Rupak (7/3). It contains seven matras: it is split into three parts, the first part is of the three matras, the next two matras each. The first matra and sam is khali, while the fourth and sixth matra get a tali (clap) each. This tal is like teevra tal is not khali as follows:

Matras 1 2 3 4 5 6 7
Words (bol) DHIN DHA TRIK DHIN DHIN DHA TRIK
Theka +0 2 3

Some people do the rupak tal in the following way:

Matras 1 2 3 4 5 6 7
Words (bol) TIN TIN NA DHIN NA DHIN NA
Theka +0 2 3

4) Teevra (7/3). It has seven matras divided into three parts of 3-2-2.
Matras. It has sam on the first matra and two tail on four and six matras:

Matras 1 2 3 4 5 6 7
Words (bol) DHA DIN TA TIT KAT GAD GIN
Theka + 2 3

5) Jhaptal (10/4). It has 10 matras; it is split into 4 parts. In the first part there are two matras, in the second part three, in the third part two, in the fourth part three. There are three talik (hand-clap), and one khali (empty). There is sam on the first matra, the sixth is khali, the third and eighth matras have tali as under:

Matras 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
Words (bol) DHI NA DHI DHI NA TI NA DHI DHI NA
Theka + 2 0 3

6) Sool tal (10/4). This tal has 10 matras divided into five parts of two matras each. There are three talis (1, 5, 7) and two khali (3,9)

Matras: 1 2 3 4 5
Words (bol) DHA DHA DIN TA KIT
Theka + 0 2
6 7 8 9 10
DHA TIT KAT GAT GIN
3 0

7) Ektal ( 12/4). It has 12 matras which are split into six parts of two matras. There are four talis (hand clap) and two khali (empty). There first matra is sam, fifth and eleventh matras have tali.

Matras: 1 2 3 4 5 6
Words (bol) DHIN DHIN DHA TRIK TU NA
Theka + 0 2
7 8 9 10 11 12
KA TA DHI TRIK DHI NA
0 3 4

Ektal is played differently in vilambit laya while singing bara khayal as under:

Matras: 1 2 3 4 5 6
Words (bol) DHIN DHIN DHAGE TRIKAT TU NA
Theka + 0 2
7 8 9 10 11 12
KAT TA DHAGE TRIKAT DHAN NA
0 3 4

8) Chartal/chau tala (12/4). It has 12 matras divided into six parts of two matras each. It has four talis (1, 5, 9, 11) and two khali matras (3,7) as under:

Matras 1 2 3 4 5 6
Words (bol) DHA DHA DIN TA KIT DHA
Theka + 0 2
7 8 9 10 11 12
DIN TA KIT TAK GADI GIN
0 3 4

9) Dhamar(14/4). It has 14 matras and is divided into four parts. It has three talis on 1,6, 11 matras. It has khali, on eighth matra.

Matras 1 2 3 4 5 6 7
Words (bol) KA DHI TIT DHI TIT DHA S*
Theka + 2
8 9 10 11 12 13 14
TA TIN S* DHA DHIN DHIN S*
S* stands for “aa”
10) Deepchandi (14/4). It has 14 matras divided into four parts. There are three talis (1, 4, 11) and khali on eighth matras follows:

Matras 1 2 3 4 5 6 7
Words (bol) DHA DHIN S* DHA DHA TIN S*
Theka + 2
8 9 10 11 12 13 14
TA TIN S* DHA DHA DHIN S*
0 3

11) Teen Tal ( 16/4). It contains 16 matras and is divided into four parts of four matras each. There are talis, and one khali.

Matras 1 2 3 4 5 6
Words (bol) DHA DHIN DHIN DHA DHA DHIN
Theka + 2
7 8 9 10 11
DHIN DHA DHA TIN TIN
12 13 14 15 16
TA TA DHIN DHIN DHA
3
12) Tilwara (16/4). It has 16 matras,divided into four parts of four matras each. There are 3 talis, and one is khali (9).
The sam is on the first matra. It is played differently in vilambit laya.
Matras 1 2 3 4 5
Words (bol) DHA TRIKAT DHIN DHIN DHA
Theka + 2
6 7 8 9 10
DHA TIN TIN TA TRIKAT
11 12 13 14 15 16
DHIN DHIN DHA DHA DHIN DHIN
3

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