Taal: the heart-beat of music
Rhythm is the heart-beat of music. Rhythm has acquired a very high status in music as quoted in the Sanskrit text, “Shrutih Mata Layah Pita” meaning, Shruti, the scale (musical) is mother and Laya, the tempo (of rhythm) is the Father. There are different facets of rhythm. Rhythm is universal. There is rhythm in the movement of heavenly bodies just as in the life cycles of micro organisms. This can be better explained with an example; as the sun, the moon, the planets and other celestial bodies are moving objects, even our earth rotates on its axis and revolves around the sun, these bodies have their fixed movement, speed and course. This is collectively termed as rhythm in music.
It is only natural that man is endowed with rhythm. Whenever a person listens to some music, he automatically finds himself tapping his feet or fingers, clapping his hands, nodding his head and even dancing to it. But, exactly what is rhythm? Rhythm can be defined as a process in which the nucleuses of attention are separated by the individual units of time. Whenever listening to music, one cannot but perceive the rhythm. Rhythm refers to the arrangement of time in music. Rhythm gives stability and form to music. It can be defined as a time cycle format in terms of music and dance. Rhythm is one of the fundamental elements of music like melody and harmony in most of the major music systems of the world.
The rhythm has been termed as Tala in Indian scriptures. Tala is a mode of the time measurement used in music and dance. Possibly, the word Tala is originated by the Sanskrit root word Tal (palm) or Karatal (clapping with the palm). Clapping of the palm has been a popular mode to measure the time used in music and dance, since it has come into the existence. It is performed with the beat of right hand on the palm of left hand or on the right thigh. It is physically expressed by the musician through accented beats and unaccented finger counts or wave of the hand. Various percussion and solid instruments are invented in the course of time to keep the rhythm, but clapping of palm is still prevalent for providing rhythmic support simultaneously. Presently, Mridangam in Carnatic music and Tabla in Hindustani music are the indispensable percussion instruments for rhythmic support.
Tala is not only a simple scale for the convenience to measure the time; it is a full fledged system. Tala is not developed haphazardly but in a systematically organised mathematical manner. A Tala consists of one or more Angas (the parts of a Tala). An Anga is divided into one or more Matras (the external units) and a Matra is further divided into Aksharas (the internal units) according to the Gati of a Tala. Before developing a Tala, its constituents Angas are determined as the basic structure. The Angas confirm total number of Matras in Tala. Matras are again sub-divided by the Aksharas to confirm a fixed time-interval between two Matras.
For example: - There are three Angas in Jhampa Tala
- Laghu
- Anudruta
- Druta
Laghu has seven (7), Anudruta one (1), and Druta has two (2) Matras. Therefore total number of Matras in Jhampa Tala are (7+1+2=10) ten. In Tisra Gati, each Matra has three (3) Aksharas, therefore total number of Aksharas in Jhampa Tala will be (7x3+1x3+2x3 = 21+3+6 = 10x3 = 30) thirty. The time cycle of ten (10) Matras is called an Avartana. The mnemonic pattern is composed of Sollukattu (rhythmic syllables) like Ta, Dhi, Tom, Nam, etc.
For example as in the Kalapramana (the measurement of time); sixty seconds form a minute, sixty minutes an hour, twenty-four hours a day, seven day a week, four weeks a month and twelve months form a year; similarly, being the smallest unit of Tala, Aksharas form a Matra, Matras form an Anga and Angas form the Tala.
Courtesy:
Gyanendra Bajpai, Lecturer - Bharatanatyam
Office: Bhatkhande Music University,
1, Qaiserbagh, Lucknow - 226 001. India