Introduction to Kaharawa Tal

Kaharawa tal is one of two light-classical (or "semi-classical") tals which are commonly taught to classical tabla students. Dadra tal is the other. Students may learn other light-classical tals, but kaharawa and dadra are by far the most common.

If you are a new listener, kaharawa may be the best place to start. Kaharawa tal and its compositions are easy to follow, and provide a good introduction to basic tabla strokes and patterns.

Most often, kaharawa tal is used in light-classical genres such as bhajan, thumri, and ghazal. Tabla solos in kaharawa tal are not usually performed in the classical tradition, though you may hear them occasionally.

Because both kaharawa and dadra are thought of as "light", they do not have the same importance as classical tals such as tintal, rupak tal, etc. However, light classical pieces are very popular with audiences, and it is common to finish a classical performance with a light-classical piece. So most professional tabla players are comfortable performing in these light-classical tals.

The Mother Tal of South Asia

Kaharawa tal is without a doubt the most common tal/rhythm in all of South Asia. It is used in countless kinds of tribal, folk, popular, spiritual, and light-classical musics. With its simple 4–4 division, kaharawa tal can be called the “mother tal” of South Asia.

Light-classical performances in kaharawa tal may sound very different from a Bollywood film song, or a folk song in kaharawa tal. They may use completely different instruments and arrangements. But underneath, most performances in kaharawa tal should have a similar rhythm and feel.

Kaharawa Tal Structure

Kaharawa tal has a structure of 2 vibhags (divisions) of 4 matras (beats) each (4–4), with a tali-khali pattern of tali-khali (stressed-unstressed):

In written form, the kaharawa vibhags are commonly marked X–0:

• X = sam and tali vibhag
• 0 = khali vibhag

Kaharawa Tal Timekeeping Pattern

The kaharawa vibhags are shown by the timekeeping pattern of clap-wave:

Kaharawa’s 3-3-2 Division

Although kaharawa tal is evenly divided into 2 vibhags of 4 matras each, most kaharawa rhythms have a 3-3-2 division of phrases and/or stress (or some variation of this division). For example, most kaharawa thekas and laggis are based on this division.

Perhaps the most recognizable characteristic of this 3-3-2 division is the stress on, or around, the 7th beat, which then leads into the 1. As you become more familar with kaharawa thekas in the next section, you’ll easily recognize this stress pattern.

The 3-3-2 division is extremely common throughout the classical tabla repertoire. It does not always have the same stress or folk groove as the kaharawa theka, but the same division is there.

Compositions in Kaharawa Tal

In kaharawa or dadra tal, classical tabla students do not usually learn many classical compositions (kayda, rela, tukra, gat, etc.). Some simple kaydas and relas may be taught, but they will most likely be few. Instead, students will learn a variety of kaharawa and dadra thekas and laggis.

While most classical students learn the standard kaharawa theka shown in the next section, this theka is rarely used in performance. The performance thekas taught to students are usually based on the region or gharana of the teacher. And so there are more kaharawa thekas than anyone could possibly count.

Similarly, there are endless varieties of laggis, and most of these will be based on the 3-3-2 division mentioned above, and have a kaharawa-like feel to them. See the Laggi description page for more information, or the laggi examples to listen.