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Lesson 14: Bengali Ektāl and Bengali Dādra Tāla

 

BANGLA EKTĀL

 

Bangla Ektāl (Bengali Ektāl) has twelve beats. This is the tāla commonly used in Bengali bhajans. Like lofa tāla, this is another tāla that can be used in the song “Namamisvaram Saccidananda Rupam.” The theka, unlike lofa, is very symmetrical.

 

 

X

2

1

2

3

4

5

6

gha

ti

ra

gha

ti

tā

tā

gha

ti

ra

gha

ti

tā

tā

0

7

8

9

10

11

12

gha

ti

ra

ki

ti

tā

tā

ki

ti

ra

ki

ti

tā

tā

 

This is divided 3+3+6, with tāli on sam and matra 4, and khali on matra 7. Matra 7, with its khali effect, can be substituted with gin. Recall from Lesson 3, “gin” was a baya bol that was produced by playing “ga” and sliding across the head of the baya.

 

✇AUDIO CLIP: Lesson 14.1 Bangla Ektāl Practice

 

BANGLA DĀDRA:

 

Bangla dādra is an example of an ādhā prakār. “Ādhā prakārs” (lit. “half-prakar”) is a rhythmic form where the bols replicate half of the parent cycle. If you remember from Lesson 9 A, we looked at Prakār 1. The bol and structure is half of tīntāl. Mathematically, this is 8 (kahervā tāla prakār 1) × 2 = 16 matras (tīntāl). This is why Prakar 1 is known as “ādhā tīntāl.”

 

The theka is as follows.

 

X

0

1

2

3

4

5

6

gha

ti

ra

ka

ti

tā

tā

ka

ti

ra

gha

ti

tā

tā

 

Note that matra 2 has a “ka” in it. While you can replace “ka” with “gin” or “ga” to your liking, “gha” (note the spelling) should be avoided.

 

✇AUDIO CLIP: Lesson 14.2 Bangla Dādra Practice

 

UPDATED: December 18, 2010