Indian classical music has repeating rhythm-patterns called taal.
The term theka is used by drummers for the structure and bol of a particular taal.
Most Shanti Mandir chants use 8-beat taal and theka, ie they use 8-beat bol pattern and rhythm structure.
GO TO THE STRUCTURE OF TAAL & THEKA
GO TO KAHERWA TAAL
GO TO BHAJANI TAAL
THE STRUCTURE OF TAAL & THEKA
Taal can be notated in table form to show the basic structure which includes:
Beat counts (like the beats per bar of western music), they are called matra.
Groups of beat counts (like bars in western music), they are called khanda.
A special accented beat, this is called the taali. The first beat of the bar is the most important accented beat and is called the sam.
An unaccented beat (sometimes like a western music ‘rest’), this is called the khaali.
