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Lesson 11: Eight Matra Thekas 3: Bhajani Tala

 

Before examining the last set of our eight matra talas, let’s look at the previous sets to see how we have progressed.

 

Lesson 9: We did Kaherva tala and its prakars. It was divided 4+4, which tali on the sam and khali on matra 5.

 

Lesson 10: We did Prabhupada tala. It was divided 4+2+2, with two talis on the sam and matra 7, and khali on matra 5.

 

This lesson talks about bhajani tāla. The word “bhajani” comes from the word “bhajan” which means “devotional song.” Bhajani tala is often heard in classical bhajans. Because of its eight beats and its symmetrical nature, some schools of music classify this to be another prakār of kaherva tāla, while others classify it as own tāla.

 

The theka of bhajani tala is as follows. It is eight matras long divided 4+4.

 

X						0
1	2		3		4	5	6		7		8
dhin	tā	dhin		dhin	tā	ti	tā	ti		ti	tā

 

Notice how this involves half beats here. The unique characteristic of this tāla is that some of the bols are off-beat. This notice that after the “tā” in mātrā 2, there is a “dhin” which starts half-way into the beat. Likewise, the consecutive “dhin” is played half-way into mātrā 3. Because they do NOT start ON beat (or mātrā), they are called OFF-beat.

 

The best way to get practice with this is to break them down into vibhāgs.

 

PART ONE: dhin tādhin – dhin tā

 

✇AUDIO CLIP 11 – 1:   Vibhag 1

 

PART TWO: ti tāti –ti tā

✇AUDIO CLIP 11 – 2:   Vibhag 2

 

Here is a continuous loop of this cycle with kartals. Up to this point, you’ve been used to hearing kartals in the typical four beat cycle of “OPEN PAUSE CLOSED CLOSED.” While this is acceptable to use in bhajani tala, another common kartal cycle heard is a two-beat cycle, known to Western musicians as “cut-time.” It is simply “OPEN CLOSED.” Transposing the kartal cycle onto this bhajani tala, it would look like the following diagram. It may seem counterintuitive to use an ON-BEAT cycle on an OFF-BEAT cycle, but it sounds very nice when played.

 

X						0
1	2		3		4	5	6		7		8
dhin	tā	dhin		dhin	tā	ti	tā	ti		ti	tā
OPEN	CLOSED		OPEN		CLOSED	OPEN	CLOSED		OPEN		CLOSED

 

Let’s get some practice with the cut-time and bhajani tala.

✇AUDIO CLIP 11 – 3: Bhajani Tala Loops with Kartals

 

Finally, let’s practice with the common mahamantra tune.

✇AUDIO CLIP 11 – 4: Bhajani Tala Practice with the Mahamantra

 

Here are videos to help you understand this rhythmic cycle.

 

 VIDEO CLIP 11 – 1: DIDACTIC

 VIDEO CLIP 11 – 2: PRACTICE

 

 

Like other rhythmic cycles, bhajani has countless prakars. Two are featured on this site.

 

 

 

UPDATED: July 10, 2011