Tabla

{{Short description|Indian pair of hand drums}} {{Italic title}} {{Hatnote group| {{Distinguish|Tablah}} {{Other uses}} }} {{Copy edit|date=September 2025}} {{Use dmy dates|date=March 2018}} {{Infobox Instrument | name = ''Tabla'' | image = Prop._Tabla.jpg | background = percussion | classification = Membranophone percussion instrument | hornbostel_sachs = 211.12 | hornbostel_sachs_desc = Sets of instruments in which the body of the drum is dish- or bowl-shaped | range = One octave (variable)<ref>{{cite book |last1=Abram |first1=David |title=India: The Rough Guide |date=1994 |publisher=Rough Guides |isbn=978-1-85828-104-9 |page=1137 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=-wcZAQAAIAAJ |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{cite book |last1=Ellingham |first1=Mark |title=The Rough Guide to World Music |date=1999 |publisher=Rough Guides |isbn=978-1-85828-636-5 |page=73 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=QzX8THIgRjUC&pg=PA73 |language=en}}</ref> | developed = 18th century, India | related = Pakhavaj, mridangam, khol, dholak, nagara, madal, tbilat, jori, bongos }} thumb|A demo of ''tabla'' playing

A '''''tabla'''''{{efn|name=nb1}} is a pair of hand drums from the Indian subcontinent. Since the 18th century, it has been the principal percussion instrument in Hindustani classical music,<ref>{{cite book|author=Don Michael Randel|title=The Harvard Dictionary of Music|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=02rFSecPhEsC&pg=P864 |year=2003|publisher=Harvard University Press|isbn=978-0-674-01163-2|pages=820, 864}}</ref> where it may be played solo, as an accompaniment with other instruments and vocals, or as a part of larger ensembles. It is frequently played in popular and folk music performances in India, Bangladesh, Afghanistan, Pakistan, Nepal and Sri Lanka.<ref name="brittabla">[https://www.britannica.com/art/tabla Tabla] Encyclopædia Britannica</ref><ref>{{Cite book|last=Baily |first=John |title=Music of Afghanistan : professional musicians in the city of Herat|date=1988|publisher=Cambridge University Press|isbn=0-521-25000-5|location=Cambridgeshire [England]|oclc=17299692}}</ref> The tabla is an essential instrument in the bhakti devotional traditions of Hinduism and Sikhism, such as during ''bhajan'' and ''kirtan'' singing.<ref>{{cite book|author1=Denise Cush|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=3N4mGlbutbgC&pg=PA87|title=Encyclopedia of Hinduism|author2=Catherine Robinson|author3=Michael York|publisher=Routledge|year=2012|isbn=978-1-135-18978-5|pages=87–88}}</ref><ref>{{cite book|author=Derek B. Scott|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=eL37scDf0PMC|title=The Ashgate Research Companion to Popular Musicology|publisher=Ashgate Publishing|year=2009|isbn=978-0-7546-6476-5|page=289}}</ref> It is one of the main qawwali instruments used by Sufi musicians.<ref>{{cite book|author=Kamal Salhi|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Dc5iAgAAQBAJ|title=Music, Culture and Identity in the Muslim World: Performance, Politics and Piety|publisher=Routledge|year=2013|isbn=978-1-317-96310-3|pages=183–184}}</ref> The instrument also features in dance performances such as Kathak. Tabla is a rhythmic instrument.<ref>{{Cite book |editor1-last=Nettl |editor1-first=Bruno |editor2-last=Stone |editor2-first=Ruth M. |editor3-last=Porter |editor3-first=James |editor4-last=Rice |editor4-first=Timothy |title=The Garland encyclopedia of world music |date=1998 |isbn=0-8240-6035-0|location=New York|oclc=36407898}}</ref>

The word ''tabla'' likely comes from ''tabl'', the Arabic word for drum.<ref name="EmmertMinegishi1980">{{cite book|author1=Richard Emmert|author2=Yuki Minegishi|title=Musical voices of Asia: report of (Asian Traditional Performing Arts 1978)|url=https://archive.org/details/musicalvoicesofa00asia|url-access=registration|access-date=25 December 2012|year=1980|publisher=Heibonsha|page=[https://archive.org/details/musicalvoicesofa00asia/page/266 266]}}</ref> The ultimate origin of the musical instrument is contested by scholars, though the earliest evidence traces its evolution from indigenous musical instruments of the Indian subcontinent; drum-like structure is mentioned in Vedic-era texts.<ref name="Gottlieb1993p1" />

The tabla consists of two small drums of slightly different sizes and shapes.<ref name="brittabla" /><ref name=":0">{{cite book|author=William Alves|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=688hCQAAQBAJ&pg=PA252|title=Music of the Peoples of the World|publisher=Cengage Learning|year=2013|isbn=978-1-133-30794-5|page=252}}</ref> Each drum is made of hollowed-out wood, clay, or metal. The smaller drum (''dayan/tabla'') is used for creating treble and tonal sounds, while the primary function of the larger drum (''baya/dagga'') is for producing bass. They are laced with hoops, thongs, and wooden dowels on their sides; the dowels and hoops are used to adjust the tension of the membranes to tune the drums.<ref name="SorrellNarayan1980p40">{{cite book|author1=Neil Sorrell|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=jNhRAQAAIAAJ&pg=PA40|title=Indian Music in Performance: A Practical Introduction|author2=Ram Narayan|publisher=Manchester University Press|year=1980|isbn=978-0-7190-0756-9|pages=40–41}}</ref>

The playing technique is complex and involves extensive use of the fingers and palms in various configurations to create a wide variety of different sounds and rhythms, reflected in mnemonic syllables (''bol'').

==Origins== ===Traditions=== According to legend, it was derived from the ancient barrel drum known as ''mridana,'' which the deity Krishna is said to have cut in half to create the ''tabla''.<ref>{{Cite book |title=Origins and Development of Musical Instruments |last=Montagu |first=Jeremy |date=2007-10-29 |publisher=Scarecrow Press |isbn=9780810877702 |pages=33 |language=English}}</ref> The history of the tabla is that although it originated in Afghanistan, it is unclear which king brought it to India.<ref name="Gottlieb1993p1">{{cite book|author=Robert S. Gottlieb|title=Solo Tabla Drumming of North India |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=f-xk7L_DNcUC&pg=PA1|year=1993|publisher=Motilal Banarsidass |isbn=978-81-208-1093-8|pages=1–3}}</ref><ref name="Dean2012p104">{{cite book|author=Matt Dean|title=The Drum: A History |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=4CdzdFgfV8YC&pg=PA104|year=2012|publisher=Scarecrow|isbn=978-0-8108-8170-9|page=104}}</ref> There are two groups of theories; the first theorizes the instrument had indigenous origins while the other traces its origins to the Muslim and Mughal invaders of the Indian subcontinent.<ref name="Gottlieb1993p1"/> While the carvings in Bhaja Caves support the theory that the instrument had indigenous origins, clear pictorial evidence of the drum emerges only from about 1745; the drum continued to develop in shape until the early 1800s.<ref name="Kippen 2000">{{cite book|author=James Kippen|title=Hindustani Tala, Garland Encyclopedia of World Music|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Hh03DwAAQBAJ&pg=PT263|year=1999|publisher=Routledge|isbn=9781351544382}}</ref>

===Indian origins=== The origin of the tabla is traced to an ancient indigenous civilization. The stone carvings in the Bhaja Caves depict a woman playing a pair of drums, which some have cited as evidence of the tabla's ancient origin in India.<ref>{{cite book|author=S Prajnanananda|title=A historical study of Indian music|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=guXibgtWsNwC|year=1981|publisher=Munshiram Manoharlal|page=82|isbn=9788121501774}}</ref><ref name=hilj4>{{cite journal |last=Meshram |first=Pradipkumar S. |date=1981 |title=The tabla in the Bhaja cave sculptures: A note |journal=Indica |volume=18 |page=57}}</ref><ref name=hilj1>Mark Hijleh, 2019, [https://books.google.com/books?id=b6h8DwAAQBAJ&dq=bhaja+caves+tabla&pg=PT48 Towards a Global Music History: Intercultural Convergence, Fusion, and transformation in the human musical history], Routledge</ref> A different version of this theory states that the tabla acquired a new Arabic name during the Islamic rule, having evolved from ancient Indian ''puśkara'' drums. Evidence of the hand-held ''puśkara'' appears in many temple carvings, such as at the 6th- and 7th-century Muktesvara and Bhuvaneswara temples in India.<ref name="Dean2012p104"/><ref name="Gottlieb1993p2">{{cite book|author=Robert S. Gottlieb|title=Solo Tabla Drumming of North India |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=f-xk7L_DNcUC&pg=PA1|year=1993|publisher=Motilal Banarsidass |isbn=978-81-208-1093-8|pages=2–3}}</ref><ref name="Singh2000p135">{{cite book|author=Pashaura Singh|title=The Guru Granth Sahib: Canon, Meaning and Authority|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=HMvXAAAAMAAJ|year=2000|publisher=Oxford University Press|isbn=978-0-19-564894-2|pages=135–136}}</ref> These arts show drummers who are sitting, with two or three separate small drums, with their palm and fingers in a position as if they are playing those drums.<ref name="Gottlieb1993p2"/> However, it is not apparent in any of these ancient carvings that those drums were made of the same material and skin, or played the same music, as the modern tabla.<ref name="Gottlieb1993p2"/>

The textual evidence for similar material and methods of construction as ''tabla'' comes from Sanskrit texts. The earliest discussion of ''tabla''-like musical instrument building methods is found in the Hindu text ''Natyashastra''. This text also includes descriptions of paste-patches (''syahi'') such as those found on a tabla.<ref name="Gottlieb1993p2"/> The ''Natyashastra'' also discusses how to play these drums. The South Indian text ''Silappatikaram'', likely composed in the early centuries of the 1st millennium CE, describes thirty types of drums along with many stringed and other instruments. These are, however, called ''pushkara''; the name ''tabla'' appears in later periods.<ref>{{cite book|author1=Bruno Nettl|author2=Ruth M. Stone|author3=James Porter |display-authors=etal |title=The Garland Encyclopedia of World Music|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=ZOlNv8MAXIEC&pg=PA327 |year=1998|publisher=Taylor & Francis|isbn=978-0-8240-4946-1|page=327}}</ref>

===Muslim and Mughal origins=== This theory is based on the etymological link between the word ''tabla'' and the Arabic word ''tabl'', which means "drum". Beyond the root of the word, this proposal points to the documentary evidence that the Muslim armies had hundreds of soldiers on camels and horses carrying paired drums as they invaded the Indian subcontinent. They would beat these drums to scare the residents, the non-Muslim armies, their elephants and chariots, whom they intended to attack. However, the war drums did not look or sound anything like ''tabla''; they were large, paired drums called ''naqqara'' (noise, chaos makers).<ref name="Gottlieb1993p1"/>

Another version states that Amir Khusraw, a musician patronized by Sultan Alauddin Khalji, invented the ''tabla'' by cutting an ''Awaj'' drum, which was hourglass-shaped, into two parts. However, no painting, sculpture, or document dated to his period supports this claim, nor was it found in the list of musical instruments recorded by Muslim historians. For example, Abul Fazi included a long list of musical instruments in his ''Ain-i-akbari'' written during the time of the 16th-century Mughal Emperor Akbar, the generous patron of music. Abul Fazi's list makes no mention of ''tabla''.<ref name="Gottlieb1993p1"/>

The third version credits the invention of ''tabla'' to the 18th-century musician with a similarly sounding name, Amir Khusru, who is said to have cut a ''Pakhawaj'' in half to create ''tabla''. Miniature paintings of this era depict instruments that somewhat resemble the ''tabla''. This theory implies that ''tabla'' emerged from within the Muslim community of Indian subcontinent and were not an Arabian import.<ref name="Gottlieb1993p1"/><ref name="Lavezzoli2006p37">{{cite book|author=Peter Lavezzoli|title=The Dawn of Indian Music in the West|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=OSZKCXtx-wEC&pg=PA37|year=2006|publisher=Bloomsbury Academic|isbn=978-0-8264-1815-9|pages=37–39}}</ref> However, scholars such as Neil Sorrell and Ram Narayan state that this legend of cutting a ''pakhawaj'' drum into two to make ''tabla'' drums "cannot be given any credence".<ref name="SorrellNarayan1980p40"/>

==History== [[File:Stone carvings at Bhaje caves.jpg|thumbnail|200 BCE carvings at Buddhist Bhaja Caves, Maharashtra, India showing a woman playing a pair of drums and another dancer performing.<ref>{{cite journal |last=Meshram |first=Pradipkumar S. |year=1981 |title=The tabla in the Bhaja cave sculptures: A note |journal=Indica |volume=18 |pages=57–59}}</ref>]] Drums and Talas are mentioned in the Vedic era texts.<ref name=":2">[https://books.google.com/books?id=QOSXX270RxMC The theory and practice of Tabla], Sadanand Naimpalli, Popular Prakashan</ref><ref>{{cite book|pages=66–68 |first=Lewis |last= Rowell|title=Music and Musical Thought in Early India|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=h5_UCgAAQBAJ |year=2015|publisher=University of Chicago Press|isbn=978-0-226-73034-9}}</ref> A percussion musical instrument with two or three small drums, held with strings, called ''Pushkara'' (also spelled ''Pushkala'') were in existence in pre-5th century Indian subcontinent along with other drums such as the Mridang, but these are not called ''tabla'' then.<ref>{{cite book|author1=Sir Monier Monier-Williams|author2=Ernst Leumann|author3=Carl Cappeller|title=A Sanskrit-English Dictionary: Etymologically and Philologically Arranged with Special Reference to Cognate Indo-European Languages|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=zUezTfym7CAC| year=2002| publisher=Motilal Banarsidass|isbn= 978-81-208-3105-6|pages=638–639}}</ref> The pre-5th century paintings in the Ajanta Caves, for example, show a group of musicians playing small tabla-like upright seated drums, a kettle-shaped ''mridang'' drum and cymbals.<ref>{{cite book |author1=Anil de Silva-Vigier |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=8dczAQAAIAAJ |title=Music |author2=Otto Georg von Simson |publisher=New York Graphic Society |year=1964 |series=Man through his art |volume=2 |page=22 |oclc=71767819}}, '''Quote''': "To her left are two girls standing with cymbals in their hands, and two seated playing drums, one with a pair of upright drums like the modern Indian dhol, and the other, sitting cross-legged, with a drum held horizontally, like the modern mirdang."

Tabla a quest, (Volume 1) by <nowiki>Ustad Julfikar Hussain</nowiki> and Debasish Talukdar. Pub. Anshiak Publication 2022. {{ISBN|978-93-5967-999-0}}</ref> Similar artwork with seated musicians playing drums, but carved in stone, is found in the Ellora Caves,<ref>{{cite book|author=Lisa Owen|title=Carving Devotion in the Jain Caves at Ellora|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=vHK2WE8xAzYC&pg=PA24|year=2012|publisher=BRILL Academic|isbn=978-90-04-20629-8|pages=24–25}}</ref> and others.<ref>{{cite book|author=Pia Brancaccio|title=The Buddhist Caves at Aurangabad: Transformations in Art and Religion|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=m_4pXm7dD78C|year=2010|publisher=BRILL Academic|isbn=978-90-04-18525-8|page=21}}</ref>

thumb|left|Some drums of central India that look like ''tabla'', but do not have Syahi which creates the unique Tabla sound.A type of small Indian drums, along with many other musical instruments, are also mentioned in Tibetan and Chinese memoirs written by Buddhist monks who visited the Indian subcontinent in the 1st millennium CE. The ''pushkala'' are called ''rdzogs pa'' (pronounced dzokpa) in Tibetan literature.<ref>[http://www.rigpawiki.org/index.php?title=རྫོགས་པ་ རྫོགས་པ་], Tibetan English Dictionary (2011)</ref> The ''pushkara'' drums are also mentioned in many ancient Jainism and Buddhism texts, such as ''Samavayasutra'', ''Lalitavistara'' and ''Sutralamkara''.<ref>{{cite book|author=Radha Kumud Mookerji|title=Ancient Indian Education: Brahmanical and Buddhist|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=mjFfqpq7HhkC&pg=PA354 |year=1989|publisher=Motilal Banarsidass |isbn=978-81-208-0423-4|pages=354–355}}</ref>

Various Hindu and Jain temples, such as the Eklingji in Udaipur, Rajasthan, feature stone carvings of a person playing a small pair of tabla-like drums. Small drums were popular during the Yadava rule (1210 to 1247) in the south, at the time when Sangita Ratnakara was written by Sarangadeva. Madhava Kandali, 14th century Assamese poet and writer of Saptakanda Ramayana, lists several instruments in his version of ''"Ramayana"'', such as tabal, jhajhar, dotara, vina, bīn, vipanchi, etc. (meaning that these instruments existed since his time in 14th century or earlier). There is recent iconography of the drum-like structure dating back to 1799.<ref>[http://www.laits.utexas.edu/solvyns-project/solvynsonline/pages/Calcutta160.html] Frans Balthazar Solvyns, ''A Collection of Two Hundred and Fifty Coloured Etchings.'' (1799)</ref> There are Hindu temple carvings of double hand drums resembling the tabla that date back to 500 BCE.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.web.mit.edu/chintanv/www/tabla/class_material/Introduction%20to%20Tabla.ppt |format=Microsoft PowerPoint |title=Introduction to Tabla, the Ancient Indian Drums |author1=Chintan Vaishnav |author2=Collin Joye |website=MIT |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090902141104/http://web.mit.edu/chintanv/www/tabla/class_material/Introduction%20to%20Tabla.ppt |archive-date=2 September 2009}}</ref> The tabla was spread widely across ancient India. A Hoysaleshwara temple in Karnataka features a carving of a woman playing the tabla during a dance performance.<ref>{{cite journal|url=http://www.persee.fr/web/revues/home/prescript/article/befeo_0336-1519_1988_num_77_1_1741|title=Persée|journal=Bulletin de l'École Française d'Extrême-Orient|date=1988 |volume=77 |issue=1 |pages=57–68 |doi=10.3406/befeo.1988.1741 |access-date=20 February 2015 |last1=Deloche |first1=Jean }}</ref>

According to classifications of musical instruments defined in the ''Natyashastra'', Tabla is classified in the ''Avanadha Vadya'' category of rhythm instruments, which are made by capping an empty vessel with a stretched skin.<ref name=":2" />

==Construction and features== {{More citations needed section|date=June 2009}} The tabla consists of two single-headed, barrel-shaped small drums of slightly different sizes and shapes: ''baya'' and ''daya'' for left and right drums, respectively.<ref name="brittabla" /><ref name=":0" />

[[File:Ustad Zakir Hussain 2.jpg|thumb|right|Ustad Zakir Hussain performing at Konark, Odisha. This illustrates the common sitting position used by tabla players.]] The smaller drum, played with the dominant hand, is called dayan (literally "right" side), dāhina, siddha, or chattū, but is correctly called the "tabla." It is made from a conical piece of mostly teak and rosewood hollowed out to approximately half of its total depth. The ''daya tabla'' is played by the musician's right hand (dominant hand), and is about 15 centimeters (~6 in) in diameter and 25 centimeters (~10 in) high. The drum is tuned to a specific note, usually either the tonic, dominant, or subdominant of the soloist's key and thus complements the melody. This is the ground note of the ''raga'' called ''Sa'' (the tonic in Indian music).<ref name="brittabla" /> The tuning range is limited, although different dāyāñs are produced in different sizes, each with a different range. Cylindrical wood blocks, termed Gatta, are inserted between the strap and the shell, allowing tension to be adjusted by their vertical positioning. Fine-tuning is achieved while striking vertically on the braided portion of the head using a small, heavy hammer. While tabla usually features two drums, a tabla tarang may consist of 10-16 dayas to perform melodies based on several ragas.

The ''baya tabla'' is a bit bigger and kettledrum-shaped, about 20 centimeters (~8 in) in diameter and 25 centimeters (~10 in) in height. It played with the non-dominant hand, is called bāyāñ (literally "left") duggī or dhāmā (correctly called "dagga"), has a much deeper bass tone, much like its distant cousin, the kettle drum. The bāyāñs are made up of many different materials. Brass is the most common; copper is more expensive but generally considered the best, while aluminum and steel are often found in inexpensive models. Sometimes wood is used, especially in old bāyāñs from the Punjab. Clay is also used, although not favored for durability; these are generally found in the North-East region of Bengal. The ''baya'' construction and tuning is about a fifth to an octave below that of the ''daya'' drum. The musician uses the heel pressure of their hand to change the pitch and tone color of each drum during a performance.<ref name="brittabla" /><ref name="SorrellNarayan1980p40" />

The head of each drum has a central area of "tuning paste" called the syahi (lit. "ink"; a.k.a. ''shāī'' or ''gāb''). ''Syahi'' is common on many Indian-origin drums. This method allows these drums to produce harmonic overtones and is responsible for their unique sound.<ref>{{Cite journal|last1=Raman|first1=C. V.|last2=Kumar|first2=Sivakali|s2cid=4159476|date=1920|title=Musical Drums with Harmonic Overtones|journal=Nature|language=en|volume=104|issue=2620|pages=500|doi=10.1038/104500a0|bibcode=1920Natur.104..500R|issn=0028-0836|doi-access=free|url=https://zenodo.org/record/1429634}}</ref> ''Syahi'' is constructed using multiple layers of a paste made from starch (rice or wheat) mixed with a black powder of various origins. The precise construction and shaping of this area are responsible for modifying the drum's natural overtones, resulting in pitch clarity (see inharmonicity) and a variety of tonal possibilities unique to this instrument, which has a bell-like sound. The skill required for the proper construction of this area is highly refined and the main differentiating factor in an instrument's quality. The earliest discussion of these paste-patches is found in the Hindu text ''Natyashastra''.<ref>{{Cite book|last=Gottlieb, Robert S.|title=Solo tabla drumming of North India : its repertoire, styles, and performance practices|date=1993|publisher=Motilal Banarsidass Publishers|isbn=81-208-1095-3|edition=1st Indian|location=Delhi|oclc=30620399}}</ref>

For stability while playing, each drum is positioned on a toroidal bundle called ''chutta'' or ''guddi'', consisting of plant fiber or another malleable material wrapped in cloth. They are commonly played while sitting cross-legged on the floor.

==Musical notation== {{More citations needed section|date=March 2018}} [[File:Keharwa Taal written in Vishnu Narayan Bhatkhande Notation.png|thumb|406x406px|Keharwa Taal written in Vishnu Narayan Bhatkhande Notation. The bols are written in both Latin and Devanagari. The Matras (beat measure) are specified using numerals. 'X' indicates Sum (first beat) and 'O' serves as an indicator for Khaali.]] Indian music is traditionally practice-oriented and, until the 20th century, did not employ written notation as the primary medium of instruction, understanding, or transmission. The rules of Indian music and compositions themselves are taught in person from a guru to a shishya. Thus, oral notation for tabla strokes and compositions is highly developed and precise. These are made up of onomatopoetic syllables and are known as bols.

Written notation is regarded as a matter of taste and is not standardized. Thus, there is no universal system of written notation for the rest of the world to study Indian music. The two popular systems for writing notations were created by Vishnu Digambar Paluskar and Vishnu Narayan Bhatkhande.<ref name=":1">{{Cite book|last=Naimpalli, Sadanand.|title=Theory and practice of tabla|date=2005|publisher=Popular Prakashan|isbn=81-7991-149-7|location=Mumbai|pages=71–73|oclc=61285249}}</ref><ref name=":3" /> These notations are named after their respective creators. Both of these systems have bols written in scripts such as Latin or Devanagari. The differences arise in the representation of various concepts of a composition, such as ''Taali, Khaali, Sum'' (the first beat in a rhythmic cycle), and ''Khand'' (divisions). Another difference is the use of numerals in the Vishnu Narayan Bhatkande system to represent ''matras'' and beat measures, whereas more sophisticated symbols are used in the Vishnu Digambar Paluskar system to denote one ''matra'', its fractions, and combinations.<ref name=":1" />

==Basic strokes== Tabla's repertoire and techniques draw many elements from Pakhavaj and Mridangam, both of which are played sideways with the palms. The physical structure of these drums also shares similar components: the smaller pakhavaj head for the dayan, the naqqara kettledrum for the bayan, and the flexible use of the bass of the dholak.<ref>Stewart R. Unpublished thesis, UCLA, 1974</ref> Tabla is played from the top and uses "finger tip and hand percussive" techniques, allowing more complex movements.<ref name="britannica1">{{cite web|date=September 2015|title=tabla (musical instrument) –|url=http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/579723/tabla}}</ref> The rich language of tabla is made up of permutations of some basic strokes. These basic strokes are divided into five major categories along with a few examples:<ref name=":3">{{Cite book |last=Beronja |first=Srdjan |title=The art of the Indian tabla|date=2008|publisher=Rupa & Co|isbn=978-81-291-1431-0|location=New Delhi|pages=127|oclc=318093440}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|last=Courtney|first=Todd A. Dombrowski, David|title=Basic Technique of Tabla bols: Dhaa, Dhin, Ga, Ka, Naa, Na, Taa, Tak, TiRaKiTa, Tin, Tu, etc.|url=http://chandrakantha.com/tablasite/bsicbols.htm#Tu|website=chandrakantha.com|access-date=3 September 2016|archive-date=26 April 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170426081855/http://chandrakantha.com/tablasite/bsicbols.htm#Tu|url-status=dead}}</ref> # Bols played on the ''daya'' (right/treble drum) #* ''Na:'' striking the edge of the syahi with the last two fingers of the right hand #* ''Ta'' or ''Ra:'' striking sharply with the index finger against the rim while simultaneously applying gentle pressure to the edge of the syahi with the ring finger to suppress the fundamental vibration mode #* ''Tin:'' placing the last two fingers of the right hand lightly against the syahi and striking on the border between the syahi and the maidan (resonant) #* ''Te:'' striking the center of the syahi with the middle finger in Delhi gharana, or using middle, ring, and little fingers together in Varanasi style (non-resonant) #* ''Ti:'' striking the center of the syahi with the index finger (non-resonant) #* ''Tun'': striking the center of the syahi with the index finger to excite the fundamental vibration mode (resonant) #* ''TheRe:'' striking of syahi with palm # Bols played on ''baya'' (left / bass drum) #* ''Ghe:'' holding wrist down and arching the fingers over the syahi; the middle and ring-fingers then strike the maidan (resonant) #* ''Ga:'' striking the index finger #* ''Ka'', ''Ke'', or ''Kat:'' (on bayan) striking with the flat palm and fingers (non resonant) # Bols played on both the drums on unison #* ''Dha:'' combination of ''Na'' and (''Ga'' or ''Ghe'') #* ''Dhin:'' combination of ''Tin'' and (''Ga'' or ''Ghe'') # Bols played one after another in a successive manner #* ''Ti Re Ki Ta'' #* ''TaK'' = ''Ta'' + ''Ke'' # Bols played as flam #* ''Ghran'': ''Ge'' immediately followed by ''Na'' #* ''TriKe'': ''Ti'' immediately followed by ''Ke'' and ''Te''

==Tabla talas== Tala defines the musical meter of a composition. It is characterized by groups of matras in a defined time cycle.<ref name=":2" /> Talas are composed of basic elements, bols. ''Matra'' defines the number of beats within a rhythm. Talas can be of 3 to 108 matras. They are played in repeated cycles. The starting beat of each cycle is known as ''Sum''. This beat is often represented by a special symbol such as 'X'. This is the most emphasized beat of the cycle. Other emphasized parts of the tala, which are represented by ''Taali'' (clap), while ''Khali'' (empty) portions are played in a relaxed manner. They are represented by an 'O' in Vishnu Narayanan Bhatkhande notation. Tali is often marked by a numeral representing its beat measure. Separate sections or stanzas of a tala are called ''Vibhagas''.

Three main types of tempos or ''layas'' are used in playing tabla talas: 1) Slow ''(vilambit)'' or half speed, 2) Medium ''(madhya)'' or reference speed, and 3) Fast ''(drut)'' or double speed. Keeping these three tempos as a reference, other variations of these tempos are also defined, such as ''Aadi laya'', where bols are played at one and a half times the medium tempo. Others, such as ''Ati Ati drut laya'' stand for a very fast tempo.<ref name=":3" /> Modern tabla players often use beats per minute measures as well.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Rhythm (taal) in Indian Classical Music - Raag Hindustani|url=https://raag-hindustani.com/Rhythm.html|access-date=17 August 2020|website=raag-hindustani.com}}</ref>

There are many talas in Hindustani music. Teental or trital is one of the most popular talas played on the tabla. It has 16 beat measures or ''matras'', and can be written down as 4 sections of 4 ''matras'' each. Teental can be played at both slow and fast speeds. Other talas, such as Dhamaar, Ek, Jhoomra, and Chau, are better suited to slow and medium tempos. In comparison, some flourish at faster speeds, such as Jhap or Rupak talas. Some of the popular talas in Hindustani classical music include: {| class="wikitable sortable mw-collapsible" |+ |- ! Name ! Beats ! Division ! Vibhag

|- | Teental (or Trital or Tintal) | 16 | 4+4+4+4 | X 2 0 3

|- | Jhoomra | 14 | 3+4+3+4 | X 2 0 3 |- | Tilwada | 16 | 4+4+4+4 | x 2 0 3 |- | Dhamar | 14 | 5+2+3+4 | X 2 0 3 |- | Ektal and Chautal | 12 | 2+2+2+2+2+2 | X 0 2 0 3 4 |- | Jhaptal (or Japtal) | 10 | 2+3+2+3 | X 2 0 3 |- | Keherwa | 8 | 4+4 |X 0 |- | Rupak (Mughlai/Roopak) | 7 | 3+2+2 | 0 X 2 |- | Dadra | 6 | 3+3 | X 0 |}

===Rare Hindustani talas=== {| class="wikitable" |- ! Name ! Beats ! Division ! Vibhaga |- | Adachoutal | 14

| 2+2+2+2+2+2+2 | X 2 0 3 0 4 0 |- | Brahmtal | 28 | 2+2+2+2+2+2+2+2+2+2+2+2+2+2 | X 0 2 3 0 4 5 6 0 7 8 9 10 0 |- | Dipchandi | 14 | 3+4+3+4 | X 2 0 3 |- | Shikar (tal)|Shikar | 17 | 6+6+2+3 | X 0 3 4 |- | Sultal | 10 | 2+2+2+2+2 | x 0 2 3 0 |- | Teevra | 7 | 3+2+2 | x 2 3 |- | Ussole e Fakhta | 5 | 1+1+1+1+1 | x 3 |- | Farodast | 14 | 3+4+3+4 | X 2 0 3 |- | Pancham Savari | 15 | 3+4+4+4 | x 2 0 3 |- | Gaj Jhampa | 15 | 5+5+5 | x 2 0 3 |-

|}

== Tabla Gharanas == Tabla gharanas are responsible for developing a variety of new bols, characteristic playing techniques, compositional styles, and rhythmic structures. Gharanas acted as a means of preserving these styles between generations of tabla players. The earliest recorded history of gharanas dates to the early 18th century. Delhi gharana is considered the first and oldest traditional tabla tradition. Its students were responsible for the spawn of other gharanas as well. Each of these gharanas includes a handful of prominent players and maestros. They carry the honorific titles 'Pandit' and 'Ustad' for Hindu and Muslim tabla players, respectively. Modernization and accessible means of travel have reduced the rigid boundaries between these gharanas in recent times.<ref name=":3" /><ref name=":2" />

===The different Gharanas in Tabla=== * Delhi Gharana * Lucknow Gharana * Ajrada Gharana * Farukhabad Gharana * Benares Gharana * Punjab Gharana

==Kayda== A '''Kayda''' or '''Kaida''' is a type of Tabla composition. There are two major types of tabla compositions: fixed (pre-composed) and improvised (composed and improvised at the time of practicing or performing). A rhythmic seed (theme) is introduced, which is then used as a basis for elaboration through improvisation and/or composition. The word '''Kayda''' is an Arabic or Hindi word which means 'rule' or a 'system of rules'.<ref>{{Cite web|title=कायदा - Meaning in English - Shabdkosh|url=https://www.shabdkosh.com/dictionary/english-hindi/%E0%A4%95%E0%A4%BE%E0%A4%AF%E0%A4%A6%E0%A4%BE/%E0%A4%95%E0%A4%BE%E0%A4%AF%E0%A4%A6%E0%A4%BE-meaning-in-hindi|access-date=9 December 2020|website=Shabdkosh.com}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://carnatic-circle.com/tabla-lessonsnotes/kaidapaltas/|title=Kaida/Paltas -|website=Carnatic-circle.com|access-date=19 April 2021}}</ref> The rules for playing a kayda are complex, but in short, one must only use the bols that are in the original theme. This original theme is known as a Mukh. The kayda form originated in the Delhi Gharana of tabla playing and serves three fundamental roles for tabla players.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Tabla|url=https://www.melbournetablaschool.com/tabla.html|access-date=9 December 2020|website=Melbourne Tabla School|language=en}}</ref> The Dayan (right side tabla - also known as '''Dagga''') and Bayan (Left side tabla - just known as '''Tabla''') of the Tabla are used in synchronization to form a Kayda. Kaydas can be played in any Tala. But at most concerts, Teental and their Kaydas are played very often. Note that in talas like Dadra and Keherwa or in {{transliteration|hi|italic=no|thekas}} like Bhajani, {{transliteration|hi|italic=no|laggis}} are played, {{transliteration|hi|italic=no|kaydas}} are not played. The reason for this is that these {{transliteration|hi|italic=no|talas/thekas}} mentioned in the previous line are specifically played for Semi-Classical and light music (Bhajans, Kirtans, Thumris, etc.) and not for Hindustani classical music. Different Gharanas have their own Kaydas.

Basic structure of a kayda:

#Mukh - Basic bol which is called as '''Mukh''' that means face of the particular Kayda.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.enghindi.com/english-word-for-mukh.html|title=English Word for mukh - मुख का अंग्रेजी में अर्थ - EngHindi.com|website=Enghindi.com|access-date=19 April 2021}}</ref> The kayda's bols are structured out of the Mukh. #Dohara - '''Dohara''' is the repetition of the Mukh 3 times. Dohara means to repeat. In Hindi, it is called Doharana, which means to repeat.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.hindi2dictionary.com/%E0%A4%A6%E0%A5%8B%E0%A4%B9%E0%A4%B0%E0%A4%BE%E0%A4%A8%E0%A4%BE-meaning-english.html|title=(Doharana) दोहराना meaning in English &#124; Matlab &#124; Definition|website=Hindi2dictionary.com|access-date=19 April 2021}}</ref> #Adha Dohara - '''Adha Dohara''' is the repetition of the first bol of the Mukh. #Vishram - '''Vishram''' means taking rest.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://shabdkosh.raftaar.in/Meaning-of-%E0%A4%B5%E0%A4%BF%E0%A4%B6%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%B0%E0%A4%BE%E0%A4%AE-in-English|title=Meaning of विश्राम in English &#124; विश्राम का अर्थ (विश्राम ka Angrezi Matlab)|website=Shabdkosh.raftaar.in|access-date=19 April 2021}}</ref> As the name suggests, a minute of pause is taken from the bol. #Adha Vishram - '''Adha Vishram''' is the repetition of taking a pause, i.e., repetition of the bol that was repeated in Vishram. #Palta - '''Palta''' is a variation of various bols, but these bols are stuck or are only from the bols that are there in the Mukh. This Palta is a section of the whole Kayda.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://forum.chandrakantha.com/post/creating-paltas-for-kaidas-8674634|title=Creating Paltas for Kaidas|website=Forum.chandrakantha.com|access-date=19 April 2021}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=http://52kaidas.blogspot.com/2010/02/uthan-palta-theka.html|title=52 Kaidas: Uthan, Palta Theka|website=52kaidas.blogspot.com|date=22 February 2010|access-date=19 April 2021}}</ref> Now what it means that Palta is a section. It means that, like Mukh, Dohara, Adha Dohara, Vishram, and Adha Vishram, these 4 names are not, or cannot be, repeated. So there is no duplication of all the 4 names taken. So all of the 4 names taken above are played only once. But a Palta, as said, is a section. joining various bols, many such Palte (plural form of Palta) can be created. #Tihai - The musical phrase sung or played thrice to arrive at the Sam/Sum is called a '''Tithai'''. It is the last part of a Kayda. The Mukh's last part is played thrice, i.e., 3 times, and then the particular Kayda is ended.<ref name="Ranade2006">{{cite book|author=Ashok Damodar Ranade|title=Music Contexts: A Concise Dictionary of Hindustani Music|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=cFwbGi3oBHgC&pg=PA167|access-date=16 October 2012|date=1 January 2006|publisher=Bibliophile South Asia|isbn=978-81-85002-63-7|pages=167–}}</ref>

== Notable players ==

* Ustad Ahmed Jan Thirakwa * Ustad Alla Rakha * Pandit Kishan Maharaj * Ustad Zakir Hussain * Pandit Yogesh Shamsi * Pandit Suresh Talwalkar * Pandit Anindo Chatterjee * Pandit Kumar Bose * Pandit Nayan Ghosh * Pandit Shubhankar Banerjee * Pandit Swapan Chaudhuri

==See also== {{Portal|India|Music}} * Damaru * Dangdut * Doumbek – Arabian drum also known in Egypt as "tabla", "Egyptian tabla", or "Alexandrian tabla". * Drum * Madal * Mridanga * Mridangam * Pakhavaj * Tbilat

==Notes== {{notelist|refs= {{efn|name=nb1|In other languages:<!-- please keep languages in alphabetical order, all are equally important --> {{langx|as|তবলা}}, {{langx|bn|তবলা}}, {{langx|prs|طبلا}}, {{langx|gu|તબલા}}, {{langx|hi|तबला}}, {{langx|kn|ತಬಲಾ}}, {{langx|ml|തബല}}, {{langx|mr|तबला}}, {{langx|ne|तबला}}, {{langx|or|ତବଲା}}, {{langx|ps|طبله}}, {{langx|pa|ਤਬਲਾ}}, {{Langx|si|තබ්ලාව}}, {{langx|ta|தபலா}}, {{langx|te|తబలా}}, {{langx|ur|{{nq|طبلہ}}}} }} }}

== References == {{Reflist|30em}}

==Further reading== * ''The Major Traditions of North Indian Tabla Drumming: A Survey Presentation Based on Performances by India's Leading Artists'', by Robert S. Gottlieb. Pub. Musikverlag E. Katzbichler, 1977. {{ISBN|978-3-87397-300-8}}. * ''The tabla of Lucknow: a cultural analysis of a musical tradition'', by James Kippen. Cambridge University Press, 1988. {{ISBN|0-521-33528-0}}. * ''[https://books.google.com/books?id=f-xk7L_DNcUC&q=Tabla Solo Tabla Drumming of North India: Text & commentary]'', by Robert S. Gottlieb, Motilal Banarsidass Publ., 1993. {{ISBN|81-208-1093-7}}. * ''Fundamentals of Tabla'' (Volume 1), by David R. Courtney. Pub. Sur Sangeet Services, 1995. {{ISBN|0-9634447-6-X}}. * ''Advanced Theory of Tabla'' (Volume 2), by David R. Courtney. Pub. Sur Sangeet Services, 2000. {{ISBN|0-9634447-9-4}}. * ''Manufacture and Repair of Tabla'' (Volume 3), by David R. Courtney. Pub. Sur Sangeet Services, 2001. {{ISBN|1-893644-02-2}}. * ''Focus on the Kaidas of Tabla'' (Volume 4), by David R. Courtney. Pub. Sur Sangeet Services, 2002. {{ISBN|1-893644-03-0}}. * ''[https://books.google.com/books?id=Z63zvthhbhAC&q=Tabla Theory and practice of tabla]'', by Sadanand Naimpalli. Popular Prakashan, 2005. {{ISBN|81-7991-149-7}}. * ''Tabla: A Quest: A Theoretical & Practical Guide'' (Volume 1) by Ustad Julfikar Hussain and Debasish Talukdar. Anshiak Publication, 2022. {{ISBN|978-93-5967-999-0}}.

==External links== {{Commons category|Tabla}} * [https://www.wisdomlib.org/hinduism/book/the-natyashastra/d/doc210231.html On Covered Instruments (puṣkara, 'drums')], Chapter XXXII of the ''Nāṭyaśāstra'' * [https://hollisarchives.lib.harvard.edu/repositories/27/resources/7037 Lowell H. Lybarger Collection of Pakistani Music Materials] at the [https://library.harvard.edu/collections/isham-memorial-library Isham Memorial Library, Harvard University]

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