Tala - Carnatic Music

In Carnatic Music, Tala refers to the rhythmic framework which provides a broad structure for rendition and also repetition of melodic and rhythmic phrases and motives and improvisations. Thus, this is why Tala is considered to be one of the two foundational elements of classical music. Tala literally means a clap or tapping on one's hand or arm and it is a musical measure. The concept of Tala can be traced right back to the Vedic era. In the Samaveda, one finds methods for singing Vedic hymns where the concept of Tala is mentioned. Purandara Dasa the founder of Carnatic Music was the person who introduced Tala in this music. The Tala system in South India is called Carnatic. It covers the whole subject of musical metre. Tala actually forms the metrical structure that actually repeats itself in a cyclical harmony from the start to the end of any song. Adi Tala is the most widely used Tala in Carnatic Music.

CONCEPTS RELATED TO TALA

In Tala there are fixed-length time cycles which are called avartana. Avartana is further divided into basic time units that are called aksaras. These aksaras are then grouped into longer time units which are called beats. The beats are displayed visually through hand gestures. The sub beat structure which decides the number of aksaras contained per beat is called nade. An avartana has a first akasara pulse which is called sama. Most of the Carnatic compositions begin on a sama and they are set to a specific tala. In the case of these compositions they can also start after or before the cycle starts. This offset of the start of the composition is actually relative to sama and it is called edupu. Edupu is measured in aksaras. The avartana can also be divided into possibly unequal sections which are called anga. This defines the structure of the tala. The angas define the visual gestures that are actually used to show progression through the tala.

FEATURES OF A TALA

A Tala is actually characterized by ten features or essences. These are also called Tala Dasapranas. Dasa actually means ten and pranas refer to essence. The first feature is Anga which means part or limb. These are the constituent parts of a Tala. The second feature is Jati. Jati means kind or type. It defines the variations in the magnitude of the Angha Laghu. The third feature is kriya. Kriya means the physical action or act of counting time by utilizing gestures. The fourth feature is Kaala and it refers to duration. This deals with the categorization of the various measures of time. The fifth feature is Graha. It represents the point in the Tala where the song starts. However, the point can be shifted and not necessarily correspond with the start of the Tala. The sixth feature is Marga. This means path. It denotes the duration of a Kriya and it will also determine how the Tala will be displayed in various songs and also the swaras within them. The Kala which is also called as Kalai in Tamil  is the seventh feature. It denotes the number of minor time units into which each count of a Tala is further subdivided. The eight feature is Laya. This represents the time interval between two successive kriyas and it also sets the tempo. The ninth feature is Yati which is a figurative arrangement of rhythmic designs in a composition  with  special reference to the angas of a Tala. The Prasthara is the tenth feature and it means spreading out. It decides the elaboration of a given rhythmic pattern and also the splitting up of the angas as well as presenting all permutations.

TYPES OF TALAS

The Adi Tala is mostly used in Carnatic Music. Each cycle in this Tala has 32 aksaras and it can be divided into 8 equal beats. A slower variant in this tala in 2 kalai consists of 64 aksaras. These are divided into 16 equal beats. The next Tala is the Rupaka Tala. Each cycle of this Tala consists of 12 aksaras which can be divided into 3 equal beats. When it comes to a longer variant in this Tala, it consists of 24 aksaras which are divided into 6 beats.

In the Misra Chapu, each cycle consists of 14 aksaras and it has a grouping structure of 6+4+4 aksaras. Thus it has an unequal division. However, commonly Misra Chapu is also divided into 7 equal beats. In these beats the positions 1, 4 and 6 are accented and they are perceptually more relevant. These beat positions are shown with hand gestures. The Khanda Chapu Tala actually consists of 10 aksaras. It has a grouping structure of 4+6 aksaras. This again is an unequal division. But commonly, Khana Chapu Tala can also be divided into 5 equal beats. In these beat positions,  the 1,3 and 4 positions are accented and these are also perceptually more relevant.

The Tisra Chapu Tala is a straightforward one and it consists of 3 aksaras. The Sankeerna Chapu is actually a rare Tala. It usually occurs only within the realm of the Ragam Thanam Pallavi. This Tala consists of 9 aksaras which are then divided into 2 beats of 4 of 5 aksaras respectively.

The Rupaka Tala which is also called Chatusra- Nadai Chatusra- Jati Rupaka Tala is actually a large body of kritis which is set to this Tala. The Ata Talam which is also called Chatusra- Nadai Khanda- Jati Ata Tala consists of around half of all varnams which are set to this Tala. The Tisra- Nadai Chatusra- Jati Trikuta Tala consists of a few fast paced kritis which are set to this Tala. This cycle is a twenty four beat cycle and thus compositions in this Tala theoretically can be and sometimes are sung in the Rupaka Tala. There are also some less performed and rarer talas and some of their names are Eka, Dhrva, Mathya, Desadi, Madhyadi, etc.

Thus, this is what Talas in Carnatic Music are.