Lesson 20: Example 1

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Lesson 20: Example 1

HOW TO ADD MUKHRAS

Usually, the simplest thing to do is to substitute the bols corresponding to the beats of the original tāla with the bols of the mukhra. Here is the most common example that you will see in Prabhupada tala.

EXAMPLE 1:

Play four cycles of Prabhupada tala, with the last cycle containing Mukhra 1

STEP 1: Here are four cycles of Prabhupada tala. The theka is being used, although as mentioned earlier, you are at freedom of using whichever prakar you feel comfortable with. The concept still holds true.

X										0						2
1	2	3	4	5	6		7		8	9	10		11		12	13	14	15	16
dha		ti	tā	tā	ra	ti	ra	ti	tā	ki	ti	ki	tā	ghe	dhā	dhin	dhā	dhin	dhā
X										0						2
1	2	3	4	5	6		7		8	9	10		11		12	13	14	15	16
dha		ti	tā	tā	ra	ti	ra	ti	tā	ki	ti	ki	tā	ghe	dhā	dhin	dhā	dhin	dhā
X										0						2
1	2	3	4	5	6		7		8	9	10		11		12	13	14	15	16
dha		ti	tā	tā	ra	ti	ra	ti	tā	ki	ti	ki	tā	ghe	dhā	dhin	dhā	dhin	dhā
X										0						2
1	2	3	4	5	6		7		8	9	10		11		12	13	14	15	16
dha		ti	tā	tā	ra	ti	ra	ti	tā	ki	ti	ki	tā	ghe	dhā	dhin	dhā	dhin	dhā

STEP 2: We want to add Mukhra 1 to the ending of Cycle 4. Recall from Lesson 18 what Mukhra 1 is. I color coded this for a reason.

tā

dhā

tā

dhā

tā

STEP 3: Since Mukhra 1 is eight mātrās long, simply replace mātrās 9 through 16 (eight mātrās).

X										0								2
1	2	3	4	5	6		7		8	9		10		11		12		13		14	15		16
dha		ti	tā	tā	ra	ti	ra	ti	tā	ki		ti	ki	tā	ghe	dhā		dhin		dhā	dhin		dhā
X										0								2
1	2	3	4	5	6		7		8	9		10		11		12		13		14	15		16
dha		ti	tā	tā	ra	ti	ra	ti	tā	ki		ti	ki	tā	ghe	dhā		dhin		dhā	dhin		dhā
X										0								2
1	2	3	4	5	6		7		8	9		10		11		12		13		14	15		16
dha		ti	tā	tā	ra	ti	ra	ti	tā	ki		ti	ki	tā	ghe	dhā		dhin		dhā	dhin		dhā
X										0								2
1	2	3	4	5	6		7		8	9		10		11		12		13		14	15		16
dha		ti	tā	tā	ra	ti	ra	ti	tā	ti	tā	ki	ti	dhā		ti	tā	ki	ti	dhā	ti	tā	ki	ti

Is it always that simple? The answer is no. Other factors like playing in single-time or double-time (layakari) will affect the size of the mukhra. For example, this same mukhra in double time will be compressed to four mātrās. In this course, unless otherwise indicated, these exceptions will not be discussed in detail.

Another valuable teaching point that this example brings is the “resolution of the tihai.” When this was taught in Lesson 18, it was described as a repetition of three phrases. In this case, it was a repetition of the phrase “ti tā ki ti dhā.” The bol “dhā” is the resolving bol, since that marks the end of the tihai. When you look at the bols of Mukhra 1 by itself, you see that the third phrase lacks its resolving bol of “dhā.”

In this example, after you finish playing Bol 16 of Cycle 4, you go back to playing Cycle 1. The first bol of cycle 1 is “dhā” which serves a dual function: to start a new cycle, and resolve the tihai that was applied to the previous cycle. Hence, this tihai is resolved. Despite how theoretical this may sound, watch the video lesson to see and hear this.

If you were playing a cycle where the first bol is something other than the “resolving bol” of the applied tihai, you resolve the tihai with the first bol of the cycle and not the tihai-specific resolving bol.

✇ AUDIO CLIP 20 – 1: EXAMPLE 1

VIDEO CLIP 20 – 1: EXAMPLE 1

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UPDATED: July 5, 2011