Here is a table of the major taaLas used in Carnatic music.
Previous: Introduction to TaaLa
Next: Gamakas
First we list the 16 angas (sOdashangams) and then follows the table of the 35 taalas. Please see the previous page or the glossary for a description of the terms and system of taalas.
anga name
|
symbol
|
aksharakaalas
|
movement
|
anudrutam
|
U
|
1
|
beat with palm
|
drutam
|
0
|
2
|
beat with palm + turn (wave)
|
druta viramam
|
U
0
|
3 (1 + 2)
|
anudrutam + drutam
|
laghu
|
|(#)
|
4 (or 3,5,7,9)
|
beat + finger counts
|
laghu viramam
|
U
|
|
5 (1+4)
|
anudrutam + laghu
|
laghu drutam
|
0|
|
6 (4+2)
|
laghu + drutam
|
laghudruta viramam
|
U
0|
|
7 (1+2+4)
|
anudrutam + drutam + laghu
|
guru
|
8
|
8
|
wave to left and right
or circle with thumb-up
|
guru viramam
|
U
8
|
8 (1+8)
|
anudrutam + guru
|
guru drutam
|
08
|
10 (8+2)
|
guru + drutam
|
gurudruta viramam
|
U
08
|
11 (1+2+8)
|
anudrutam + drutam + guru
|
plutam
|
|8
|
12 (8+4)
|
beat + wave to sides
|
pluta viramam
|
U
|8
|
13 (1+12)
|
anudrutam + plutam
|
pluta drutam
|
0|8
|
14 (12+2)
|
plutam + drutam
|
pluta druta viramam
|
U
0|8
|
15 (1+2+12)
|
anudrutam + drutam + plutam
|
kaakapaadam
|
+
|
16
|
beat plus wave up and to sides
|
The table of the 35 taaLas is listed below. The total numbers in the laghu are given in parenthesis, ex. catushra jaati = |(4). TaaLas are named first by their jaati then by the taaLa type of the 7, as in tishra jaati Eka taaLam.
taala group
|
jaati
|
angas
|
aksharakaalas
|
1. dhruva
|
tisra
|
|(3) 0 |(3) |(3)
|
11
|
2.
|
catushra
|
|(4) 0 |(4) |(4)
|
14
|
3.
|
khaNDa
|
|(5) 0 |(5) |(5)
|
17
|
4.
|
mishra
|
|(7) 0 |(7) |(7)
|
23
|
5.
|
sankeerna
|
|(9) 0 |(9) |(9)
|
29
|
6. matya
|
tisra
|
|(3) 0 |(3)
|
8
|
7.
|
catushra
|
|(4) 0 |(4)
|
10
|
8.
|
khaNDa
|
|(5) 0 |(5)
|
12
|
9.
|
mishra
|
|(7) 0 |(7)
|
16
|
10.
|
sankeerna
|
|(9) 0 |(9)
|
20
|
11. roopaka
|
tishra
|
0 |(3)
|
5
|
12.
|
catushra
|
0 |(4)
|
6
|
13.
|
khaNDa
|
0 |(5)
|
7
|
14.
|
mishra
|
0 |(7)
|
9
|
15.
|
sankeerna
|
0 |(9)
|
11
|
16. jhampa
|
tishra
|
|(3) U 0
|
6
|
17.
|
catushra
|
|(4) U 0
|
7
|
18.
|
khaNDa
|
|(5) U 0
|
8
|
19.
|
mishra
|
|(7) U 0
|
10
|
20.
|
sankeerna
|
|(9) U 0
|
12
|
21. tripuTa
|
tishra
|
|(3) 0 0
|
7
|
22.
|
catushra (aadi)
|
|(4) 0 0
|
8
|
23.
|
khaNDa
|
|(5) 0 0
|
9
|
24.
|
mishra
|
|(7) 0 0
|
11
|
25.
|
sankeerna
|
|(9) 0 0
|
13
|
26. aTa
|
tishra
|
|(3) |(3) 0 0
|
10
|
27.
|
catushra
|
|(4) |(4) 0 0
|
12
|
28.
|
khaNDa
|
|(5) |(5) 0 0
|
14
|
29.
|
mishra
|
|(7) |(7) 0 0
|
18
|
30.
|
sankeerna
|
|(9) |(9) 0 0
|
22
|
31. Eka
|
tishra
|
|(3)
|
3
|
32.
|
catushra
|
|(4)
|
4
|
33.
|
khaNDa
|
|(5)
|
5
|
34.
|
mishra
|
|(7)
|
7
|
35.
|
sankeerna
|
|(9)
|
9
|
These are the major taaLas (suladisapta taaLas). Incorporating the other angas (guru, plutam, kaakapaadam) brings us up to 108 taaLas, and even more if one includes the caapu taaLas and other variations.
Next: Gamakas
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