Tala

Tala is the measure of time in music. It sets the time limit within which a particular note is to be rendered. Basic exercises in Carnatic music are done in different speeds to get a grip over tala. 

Taalangas: There are six components/anghas to tala.

1.Anudhruta : Just a tap on lap (1 beat)

2.Dhruta: A tap followed by flipping the palm

3.Laghu: 1 beat and counting fingers.  Laghu is based on the jaati of tala.The following are the 5  jaatis:

S.No	Jaathi	No .of counts	Jathi
1	Trisra	3	Ta ki ta
2	Chaturashra	4	Ta ka dhi mi
3	Khanda	5	Ta ka Ta Ki ta
4	Mishra	7	Ta kit a Ta ka dhi mi
5	Sankeerna	9	Ta ka dhi mi Ta ka Ta Ki Ta

Depending on the jaati, laghu is fixed and fingers are counted. E.g. Tisra jaati has 3 counts.So laghu has 1 beat followed by 2 finger counts. Chaturashra jaati has 4 counts.Laghu will have 1 beat and 3 finger counts.

4.Guru : Two lengths of chaturashra laghu, 8 aksharas or notes

5.Pluta: Three times chaturashra laghu/ 12 aksharas

6.Kakapada: Four times chaturashra laghu/16 aksharas

Graha: Graha describes the relationship between music and tala. Not always tala and song start together. When both music and tala start together, it is Sama Graha and vice versa is Vishama Graha. In Vishama graha, if tala starts after a few notes of music, it is Ateeta Graha.E.g. First two ettugade swaras of Famous Bhairavi ata tala varna “Viribhoni”.

If music starts after the tala begins, it is Anagata Graha . There are many such kritis to quote. One is the famous Brova Barama in Bahudari which starts after 3 akshara kalas of Adi tala.

Kale: This is applicable to any tala. Quarter of chaturashra laghu is 1 aksharakaala. If 1 aksharakaala has one note it is eka kale. If it has two notes, it is dwikale and with four notes, it is chatushkale.

Eka Kale:             S            R            G           M

Dwikale:             SR         GM         PD          NS

Chatushkale:  SRGM      PDNS      SNDP    MGRS

Same applies to any tala.

Laya: The time element between counts is called Laya. It is very important to maintain the laya or uniformity in speed while putting Tala.  If the speed is very high, it is called drutalaya. Medium speed is madhya laya and slow speed is vilamba laya. Each song has a tempo of itself based on what it tries to communicate.  E.g. Singing pleading songs of SHyama Sastri in Drutalaya will spoil the beauty of composition and does not serve its purpose. Likewise singing a Thillana (dance based compositions) in vilamba kala will test the patience of audience 

Yati: The method in which the swara (notes) -sahitya (lyrics) parts are arranged in a frameowrk is called Yati. There are 6 types of Yati:

1.Samayati: Swara or sahitya will follow one after the pother like ants. Alternatively knows as Pipeelika (ants). e.g. Famous Pancharatna “Endaromahanubhavulu” of Thyagaraja:

Swara:                               PMMP       RRGR         NSRG         RRSN

Corresponding Sahitya: Hariguna     Manimaya   Saramula   Galamuna

2.Gopuchchayati: The swara-sahitya in descending order resembling cow’s tail.

E.g Muthuswamy Dikshitar kriti Thyagaraja Yoga Vaibhavam in Ananda Bhairavi raga

Thyagaraja yoga vaibhavam

Agaraja Yoga vaibhavam

Rajayoga vaibhavam

YogaVaibhavam

Vaibhavam

Bhavam

Vam

3.Srotovahayati: Opposite of Gopuchchayati. Follows the pattern of a river. Starts as a small stream and flowsat length to expand its boundaries and have number of tributaries.In the same Thyagaraja Yoga Vaibhavam kriti mentioned above, dikshitar also brings srotovahayati.

Shamprakasham

Swaroopa Prakasham

Tatvaswaroopa Prakasham

Sakala Tatvaswaroopa Prakasham

Shaktyadi Sakala Tatvaswaroopa Prakasham

Shiva Shaktyadi Sakala Tatvaswaroopa Prakasham

4.Damaruyati: A combination of Gopuchchayati and Srotovahayati. An example of swara in Damaruyati:

 

SRGPDS

RGPDS

GPDS

PDS

DS

S

SD

SDP

SDPG

SDPGR

SDPGRS

5. Mridanga Yati: Reverse of Damaruyati.

S

SD

SDP

SDPG

SDPGR

SDPGRS

SRGPDS

RGPDS

GPDS

PDS

DS

S

6.Vishamayati: The swaras/sahitya do not follow any pattern.