Tabla

Traditions According to legend, it was derived from the ancient barrel drum known as mridana, which the deity Krishna is said to have cut in half to create the tabla. The history of the tabla is that although it originated in Afghanistan, it is unclear which king brought it to India. There are two groups of theories; the first theorizes the instrument had indigenous origins while the other traces its origins to the Muslim and Mughal invaders of the Indian subcontinent. Indian origins The origin of the tabla is traced to an ancient indigenous civilization. The stone carvings in the Bhaja Caves depict a woman playing a pair of drums, which some have cited as evidence of the tabla's ancient origin in India. A different version of this theory states that the tabla acquired a new Arabic name during the Islamic rule, having evolved from ancient Indian puśkara drums. Evidence of the hand-held puśkara appears in many temple carvings, such as at the 6th- and 7th-century Muktesvara and Bhuvaneswara temples in India. These arts show drummers who are sitting, with two or three separate small drums, with their palm and fingers in a position as if they are playing those drums. Muslim and Mughal origins This theory is based on the etymological link between the word tabla and the Arabic word tabl, which means "drum". Beyond the root of the word, this proposal points to the documentary evidence that the Muslim armies had hundreds of soldiers on camels and horses carrying paired drums as they invaded the Indian subcontinent. They would beat these drums to scare the residents, the non-Muslim armies, their elephants and chariots, whom they intended to attack. However, the war drums did not look or sound anything like tabla; they were large, paired drums called naqqara (noise, chaos makers). However, scholars such as Neil Sorrell and Ram Narayan state that this legend of cutting a pakhawaj drum into two to make tabla drums "cannot be given any credence". ==History==

, Maharashtra, India showing a woman playing a pair of drums and another dancer performing. Drums and Talas are mentioned in the Vedic era texts. A percussion musical instrument with two or three small drums, held with strings, called Pushkara (also spelled Pushkala) were in existence in pre-5th century Indian subcontinent along with other drums such as the Mridang, but these are not called tabla then. The pre-5th century paintings in the Ajanta Caves, for example, show a group of musicians playing small tabla-like upright seated drums, a kettle-shaped mridang drum and cymbals. Similar artwork with seated musicians playing drums, but carved in stone, is found in the Ellora Caves, and others. A type of small Indian drums, along with many other musical instruments, are also mentioned in Tibetan and Chinese memoirs written by Buddhist monks who visited the Indian subcontinent in the 1st millennium CE. The pushkala are called rdzogs pa (pronounced dzokpa) in Tibetan literature. The pushkara drums are also mentioned in many ancient Jainism and Buddhism texts, such as Samavayasutra, Lalitavistara and Sutralamkara. Various Hindu and Jain temples, such as the Eklingji in Udaipur, Rajasthan, feature stone carvings of a person playing a small pair of tabla-like drums. Small drums were popular during the Yadava rule (1210 to 1247) in the south, at the time when Sangita Ratnakara was written by Sarangadeva. Madhava Kandali, 14th century Assamese poet and writer of Saptakanda Ramayana, lists several instruments in his version of "Ramayana", such as tabal, jhajhar, dotara, vina, bīn, vipanchi, etc. (meaning that these instruments existed since his time in 14th century or earlier). There is recent iconography of the drum-like structure dating back to 1799. There are Hindu temple carvings of double hand drums resembling the tabla that date back to 500 BCE. The tabla was spread widely across ancient India. A Hoysaleshwara temple in Karnataka features a carving of a woman playing the tabla during a dance performance. According to classifications of musical instruments defined in the Natyashastra, Tabla is classified in the Avanadha Vadya category of rhythm instruments, which are made by capping an empty vessel with a stretched skin. ==Construction and features==

The tabla consists of two single-headed, barrel-shaped small drums of slightly different sizes and shapes: baya and daya for left and right drums, respectively. Syahi is constructed using multiple layers of a paste made from starch (rice or wheat) mixed with a black powder of various origins. The precise construction and shaping of this area are responsible for modifying the drum's natural overtones, resulting in pitch clarity (see inharmonicity) and a variety of tonal possibilities unique to this instrument, which has a bell-like sound. The skill required for the proper construction of this area is highly refined and the main differentiating factor in an instrument's quality. The earliest discussion of these paste-patches is found in the Hindu text Natyashastra. For stability while playing, each drum is positioned on a toroidal bundle called chutta or guddi, consisting of plant fiber or another malleable material wrapped in cloth. They are commonly played while sitting cross-legged on the floor. ==Musical notation==

Notation. The bols are written in both Latin and Devanagari. The Matras (beat measure) are specified using numerals. 'X' indicates Sum (first beat) and 'O' serves as an indicator for Khaali. Indian music is traditionally practice-oriented and, until the 20th century, did not employ written notation as the primary medium of instruction, understanding, or transmission. The rules of Indian music and compositions themselves are taught in person from a guru to a shishya. Thus, oral notation for tabla strokes and compositions is highly developed and precise. These are made up of onomatopoetic syllables and are known as bols. Written notation is regarded as a matter of taste and is not standardized. Thus, there is no universal system of written notation for the rest of the world to study Indian music. The two popular systems for writing notations were created by Vishnu Digambar Paluskar and Vishnu Narayan Bhatkhande. These notations are named after their respective creators. Both of these systems have bols written in scripts such as Latin or Devanagari. The differences arise in the representation of various concepts of a composition, such as Taali, Khaali, Sum (the first beat in a rhythmic cycle), and Khand (divisions). Another difference is the use of numerals in the Vishnu Narayan Bhatkande system to represent matras and beat measures, whereas more sophisticated symbols are used in the Vishnu Digambar Paluskar system to denote one matra, its fractions, and combinations. ==Basic strokes==

Tabla's repertoire and techniques draw many elements from Pakhavaj and Mridangam, both of which are played sideways with the palms. The physical structure of these drums also shares similar components: the smaller pakhavaj head for the dayan, the naqqara kettledrum for the bayan, and the flexible use of the bass of the dholak. Tabla is played from the top and uses "finger tip and hand percussive" techniques, allowing more complex movements. The rich language of tabla is made up of permutations of some basic strokes. These basic strokes are divided into five major categories along with a few examples: • Bols played on the daya (right/treble drum) • Na: striking the edge of the syahi with the last two fingers of the right hand • Ta or Ra: striking sharply with the index finger against the rim while simultaneously applying gentle pressure to the edge of the syahi with the ring finger to suppress the fundamental vibration mode • Tin: placing the last two fingers of the right hand lightly against the syahi and striking on the border between the syahi and the maidan (resonant) • Te: striking the center of the syahi with the middle finger in Delhi gharana, or using middle, ring, and little fingers together in Varanasi style (non-resonant) • Ti: striking the center of the syahi with the index finger (non-resonant) • Tun: striking the center of the syahi with the index finger to excite the fundamental vibration mode (resonant) • TheRe: striking of syahi with palm • Bols played on baya (left / bass drum) • Ghe: holding wrist down and arching the fingers over the syahi; the middle and ring-fingers then strike the maidan (resonant) • Ga: striking the index finger • Ka, Ke, or Kat: (on bayan) striking with the flat palm and fingers (non resonant) • Bols played on both the drums on unison • Dha: combination of Na and (Ga or Ghe) • Dhin: combination of Tin and (Ga or Ghe) • Bols played one after another in a successive manner • Ti Re Ki Ta • TaK = Ta + Ke • Bols played as flam • Ghran: Ge immediately followed by Na • TriKe: Ti immediately followed by Ke and Te ==Tabla talas==

Tala defines the musical meter of a composition. It is characterized by groups of matras in a defined time cycle. There are many talas in Hindustani music. Teental or trital is one of the most popular talas played on the tabla. It has 16 beat measures or matras, and can be written down as 4 sections of 4 matras each. Teental can be played at both slow and fast speeds. Other talas, such as Dhamaar, Ek, Jhoomra, and Chau, are better suited to slow and medium tempos. In comparison, some flourish at faster speeds, such as Jhap or Rupak talas. Some of the popular talas in Hindustani classical music include: Rare Hindustani talas == Tabla Gharanas ==

Tabla gharanas are responsible for developing a variety of new bols, characteristic playing techniques, compositional styles, and rhythmic structures. Gharanas acted as a means of preserving these styles between generations of tabla players. The earliest recorded history of gharanas dates to the early 18th century. Delhi gharana is considered the first and oldest traditional tabla tradition. Its students were responsible for the spawn of other gharanas as well. Each of these gharanas includes a handful of prominent players and maestros. They carry the honorific titles 'Pandit' and 'Ustad' for Hindu and Muslim tabla players, respectively. Modernization and accessible means of travel have reduced the rigid boundaries between these gharanas in recent times. The different Gharanas in Tabla • Delhi Gharana • Lucknow Gharana • Ajrada Gharana • Farukhabad Gharana • Benares Gharana • Punjab Gharana ==Kayda==

A Kayda or Kaida is a type of Tabla composition. There are two major types of tabla compositions: fixed (pre-composed) and improvised (composed and improvised at the time of practicing or performing). A rhythmic seed (theme) is introduced, which is then used as a basis for elaboration through improvisation and/or composition. The word Kayda is an Arabic or Hindi word which means 'rule' or a 'system of rules'. The rules for playing a kayda are complex, but in short, one must only use the bols that are in the original theme. This original theme is known as a Mukh. The kayda form originated in the Delhi Gharana of tabla playing and serves three fundamental roles for tabla players. The Dayan (right side tabla - also known as Dagga) and Bayan (Left side tabla - just known as Tabla) of the Tabla are used in synchronization to form a Kayda. Kaydas can be played in any Tala. But at most concerts, Teental and their Kaydas are played very often. Note that in talas like Dadra and Keherwa or in like Bhajani, are played, are not played. The reason for this is that these mentioned in the previous line are specifically played for Semi-Classical and light music (Bhajans, Kirtans, Thumris, etc.) and not for Hindustani classical music. Different Gharanas have their own Kaydas. Basic structure of a kayda: • Mukh - Basic bol which is called as Mukh that means face of the particular Kayda. The kayda's bols are structured out of the Mukh. • Dohara - Dohara is the repetition of the Mukh 3 times. Dohara means to repeat. In Hindi, it is called Doharana, which means to repeat. • Adha Dohara - Adha Dohara is the repetition of the first bol of the Mukh. • Vishram - Vishram means taking rest. As the name suggests, a minute of pause is taken from the bol. • Adha Vishram - Adha Vishram is the repetition of taking a pause, i.e., repetition of the bol that was repeated in Vishram. • Palta - Palta is a variation of various bols, but these bols are stuck or are only from the bols that are there in the Mukh. This Palta is a section of the whole Kayda. Now what it means that Palta is a section. It means that, like Mukh, Dohara, Adha Dohara, Vishram, and Adha Vishram, these 4 names are not, or cannot be, repeated. So there is no duplication of all the 4 names taken. So all of the 4 names taken above are played only once. But a Palta, as said, is a section. joining various bols, many such Palte (plural form of Palta) can be created. • Tihai - The musical phrase sung or played thrice to arrive at the Sam/Sum is called a Tithai. It is the last part of a Kayda. The Mukh's last part is played thrice, i.e., 3 times, and then the particular Kayda is ended. == Notable players ==

• Ustad Ahmed Jan Thirakwa • Ustad Alla Rakha • Pandit Kishan Maharaj • Ustad Zakir Hussain • Pandit Yogesh Shamsi • Pandit Suresh Talwalkar • Pandit Anindo Chatterjee • Pandit Kumar Bose • Pandit Nayan Ghosh • Pandit Shubhankar Banerjee • Pandit Swapan Chaudhuri ==See also==