35 tala scheme

Question 1

what does the syllable “ta” mean?

Answer 1

Tandava (represents shiva beejakshara)

beejakshara- single syllable, very powerful, can represent different things

Question 2

what does the syllable “la” stand for?

Answer 2

Laasya (shakti beejakshara)

beejakshara- single syllable, very powerful, can represent different things

Question 3

what are the main 2 categories talas were classified in?

Answer 3

Maargi & Desi

Question 4

there used to be ____ talas

Answer 4

108

Question 5

another name for the 35 talas

Answer 5

Suladi talas

Question 6

what is a sulaadi

Answer 6

• devotional compositions
• similar to geethams
• ragamalikas or raga-tala-malikas

they were usually composed by Haridaasas in Karnataka

Question 7

truue or false:

the 35 talas were used a lot in these suladis

Answer 7

true

this is probably why they are called suladi talas.

Question 8

true or false

Purandara Dasa created the 35 talas as he wrote suladis.

P. Dasa was also a haridasa

Answer 8

false

Dasa only used them, not made them

Question 9

what varieties can the suladi talas be grouped into?

hint - there are 7

Answer 9

Dhruva, Matya, Rupaka, Jhampa, Triputa, Ata, Eka

Question 10

how is tala shown?

Answer 10

shown on right hand, with the help of hand gestures

(laghu, dhruta, anu-dhruta)

Question 11

what are the 3 gestures (angas) used to show tala?

Answer 11

laghu, dhrutam, anu-dhrutam

Question 12

how is laghu shown?

Answer 12

slap of right hand, counting of fingers

Question 13

how is dhrutam shown?

Answer 13

slap of right hand, flipping hand over

Question 14

how is anu-dhrutam shown?

Answer 14

slap of right hand

Question 15

traditionally, how many angas do talas have?

Answer 15

6

laghu, dhrutam, anu-dhrutam, guru, plutam, kakapadam

Question 16

true or false

JAATHI only applies to laghu

Answer 16

true

Question 17

how many kriyas does dhrutam have?

Answer 17

2

Question 18

how many kriyas does anu-dhrutam have?

Answer 18

1

Question 19

true or false

the # of kriyas for dhrutam & anu-dhrutam can change?

Answer 19

false

dhrutam is always 2, anu-dhrutam is always 1

Question 20

what is an avarta?

Answer 20

when all angas of a tala are completed once

Question 21

what do you call the phonetic representation of gatis?

Answer 21

jathi (not laghu jaathi)

Question 22

what is gati?

Answer 22

speed

Question 23

jathi for THISRA gati

jathi = phonetic representation of gati

Answer 23

tha-ki-ta

Question 24

jathi for CHATURASRA gati

jathi = phonetic representation of gati

Answer 24

ki-ta-tha-ka

Question 25

jathi for KHANDA gati

jathi = phonetic representation of gati

Answer 25

tha-ka-tha-ki-ta

Question 26

jathi for MISHRA gati

Answer 26

tha-ki-ta-ki-ta-tha-ka

Question 27

what are JATHIS?

Answer 27

mridanga sound patterns, phonetic representations of gati

Question 28

How do the Saptatalas become 35?

Answer 28

the laghu of each tala takes on a different jaathi

saptatalas * panchajaathis = 35 suladi talas

Question 29

arrange saptatalas by…

decreasing number of laghus

Answer 29

• DHRUVA - 3 laghus
• MATYA & ATA - 2 laghus
• RUPAKA, JHAMPA, TRIPUTA, EKA - 1 laghu

Question 30

which is the only saptatala with an anudhruta?

Answer 30

jhampa

Question 31

which is the only saptatala that starts with a dhruta?

Answer 31

rupaka

Question 32

which saptatala has only one (1) anga?

Answer 32

eka

only laghu

Question 33

true or false

there can be talas without laghus

Answer 33

false

there is no tala without a laghu

Question 34

true or false

all laghus in a tala will be in the same jaathi

Answer 34

true

otherwise, it would be off-rhythm