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Chapter 31: Uncommon Talas Beyond Sixteen Matras

The highest matra number for talas that we have worked with is sixteen matras. For an elementary student, it becomes quite unfathomable to think of talas beyond sixteen. Approaches on how to play and sing along with talas beyond sixteen matras becomes a wonder everyone tries to ponder on. As their ambiguity is so great, not much can be said about their form, except the matra numbers. In addition, all of these talas featured here are pakhawaj talas. The numbers beyond sixteen matras are virtually endless. However, we will stop at the twenty matra Arjuna tala.

VISNU TALA

X							2
1		2		3		4	5	6
dhin		dhi	ṭa	dhi	ṭa	tā	dhet	dhet
3							4
7		8		9		10	11	12
dhi	ṭa	dhi	ṭa	dhi	ṭa	tā	dhet	dhet
5				6
13		14		15		16	17
dhi	ṭa	tā		dhā		ki	ṭa

Figure 31.1

AUDIO CLIP: Figure 31.1

Seventeen matra tala.

UP-TALA JHAMPAKA

X		2			0		3
1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8		8½
dhin	nā	dhin	dhin	nā	tin	nā	dhin	dhin	nā

Figure 31.2

AUDIO CLIP: Figure 31.2

Eight and half matra tala, also known as rupam-tala. Some musicians prefer to see this as a whole number tala: seventeen matras.

LAKSMI TALA

X
1		2		3		4	5
dhā		ti	ra	ki	ṭa	dhet	tā
2							0
6		7		8		9	10
dhā	ge	ti	ṭa	dhi	ṭa	tā	dhi	ṭa
		0					3
11		12		13		14	15
tā		dhi	ṭa	dhi	ṭa	tā	ti	ṭa
		4
16		17		18
ka	ṭa	ga	di	ga	na

Figure 31.3

AUDIO CLIP: Figure 31.3

Eighteen matra talas

GANESA TALA

X
1		2		3		4
dhā		ki	ṭa	dhi	ṭa	dhā
2
5		6		7		8
dhet		tā		dhi	ṭa	tā
3				0
9		10		11		12
dhi	ṭa	dhi	ṭa	din		tā
4				5
13		14		15		16
dhi	ṭa	tā		ti	ra	ki	ṭa
17		18
ga	di	ga	na

Figure 31.4

AUDIO CLIP: Figure 31.4

Another nice eighteen matra tala.

SESA TALA

X
1	2	3	4
dhā	ge	ti	ṭa
2
5	6	7	8
dhā	ge	ti	ṭa
0
9	10	11	12
ki	ṭa	kat	ka
3
13	14	15	16
dhā	ge	ti	ṭa
4	5
17	18	19
dhā	ki	ṭa

Figure 31.5

AUDIO CLIP: Figure 31.5

KRSNA TALA

X								2
1		2		3		4		5	6		7		8
dhin		dhi	ṭa	dhi	ṭa	dhā		——	dhi	ṭa	dhi	ṭa	dhā
3								0
9		10		11		12		13	14		15		16
dhi	ṭa	dhi	ṭa	dhi	ṭa	tā		ka	ti	ṭa	ti	ṭa	tā
4
17		18		19		20
ti	ra	ki	ṭa	ga	di	ga	na

Figure 31.6

AUDIO CLIP: Figure 31.6

ARJUNA TALA

X								2		3
1		2		3		4		5	6	7	8
dhā				dhī		nā		nā	ka	dhet
0				4				5		0
9		10		11		12		13	14	15	16
dhī		nā		nā		ka		dhet		dhā	ge
				6
17		18		19		20
ti	ra	ki	ṭa	ga	di	ga	na

Figure 31.7

AUDIO CLIP: Figure 31.7

Twenty matra tala

UPDATED: June 20, 2009