Bol Demonstrations (Strokes and Phrases)

(about bol)

About the Bol Demonstrations

(Note: Most of the demonstration pages are not yet finished. I plan on adding more in-depth discussion/demonstrations in the future.)

Below you will find demonstrations for all the major bols of classical tabla. Each group is ordered according to how common they are (roughly).

Single and combination bols are grouped according to stroke (location and motion), not syllable. This means that common alternate syllables for the same stroke, such as nā and tā, will be together on the same page. Alternate syllables are shown in parenthesis below.

Conjunct bols and common phrases, however, are grouped according to syllable. For example, the different techniques for teṭe (Dilli and Benares) are shown on the same page.

See the Tabla Drum Terms page for the meanings of daya, baya, chanti, low, and syahi.

Finger Numbering

On the demonstration pages, the primary finger/s used for particular bols is indicated by the following numbers:

  • Index = 2
  • Middle = 3
  • Ring = 4
  • Pinky = 5

Resonant Daya Bols

Nā – ना

(tā, ta, na, ṛā / ता, त, न, ड़ा)
Naa-A2_300x200

Tā – ता (low)

(tin, tī, nā, na / तिं, ती, ना, न)
Taa-(low)-A2

Tin – तिं (syahi)

(ti, tū, thun / ति, तू, थुं)
Tin-A2

Din – दिं

(di, dī, thun / दि, दी, थुं)
Din-A2

Tān – तां

(tā, “thāp” / ता, “थाप”)
Taan ("Thap")

Non-Resonant Daya Bols

Te – ते

(ti, tī, tet, tit, na, ṛa / ति, ती, तेत्, तित्, न, ड़)

Ṭe – टे

(ṭa, ra, ta, te, tet / ट, र, त, ते, तेत्)

Tī – ती

(ti, tit, ṛa, ta, tak / ति, तित्, ड़, त, तक)

Tak – तक्

(ta, tet / त, तेत्)

Te – ते (palm)

(ti / ति)
See Dheradhera
Te (palm)

Ra – र (palm)

(re / रे)
See Dheradhera
Ra (palm)

Ta – त (syahi, muted)

(tā, chak, “chippi” or “chipki” / ता, चक्, “चिप्पी” य “चिप्की”)
Ta ("Chippi")

Baya Bols

Ga – ग

(ge, ghe, gi, ghi, ghin / गे, घे, गि, घि, घिं)
Ge-(3)-A2

Ka – क

(ke, ki, / के, कि)
Ka-A2

Combination Bols (Two Hands)

Dhā – धा (chanti)

nā + ga / ना + ग (dha / ध)
Dha-A2

Dhā – धा (low)

tā (low) + ga / ता + ग (dhī, dhin, dha / धी, धिं, ध)
Dha-(low)-A2

Dhin – धिं (syahi)

tin + ga / तिं + ग (dhi / धि)
Dhin-(syahi)-A2

Dhe – धे

te + ga / ते + ग (dhet, dhit / धेत्, धित)

Dhe – धे (index finger)

ṭe + ga / टे + ग (dhet, dhi / धेत्, धि)

Dhe – धे (palm)

te (palm) + ga / ते + ग (dhi / धि)
See Dheradhera

Conjunct Bols (flam strokes)

Common Phrases

The following phrases are among the most common in the classical language. Note that there are different techniques for some of them, depending on baj (style) and/or lineage.

Alphabetical Bol Index

(includes only main entries above)

Single Bols and Conjuncts

Phrases