GLOSSARY OF TERMS "V" - An Indian Art.

GLOSSARY OF TERMS- An Indian Art.

vichitra vina - An instrument similar to rudra vina except that it has no frets. It is played with a slide in a manner similar to a Hawaiian guitar.
vadi - The important note of a rag.
vakra - The usage of notes in an oblique fashion.
varan tal - An obscure tal of eight beats.
varanabhina tal - An obscure tal of eight or 16 beats.
varanamanthika tal - An obscure tal of 20 beats.
vardhan tal - An obscure tal of 19 beats.
vasant shikhir tal - See Basantshikhir tal.
venu - A south Indian flute.
vibhag - The measure or "bar".
vijay tal - An obscure tal of 20 beats.
vikshep - (Archaic) A style of silent timekeeping (marg nishabd kriya).
vikshipt - (Archaic) A style of silent timekeeping (deshi nishabd kriya).
vilambit - Slow tempo.
vimohi tal - An obscure tal of 13 beats.
vina - 1) Any stringed instrument. 2) The saraswati vina of south India.
vinaya - Humility, said to be a prerequisite for discipleship.
virbhadra tal - An obscure tal of 25 beats.
virpanch tal - An obscure tal of 20 beats.
visarjit - (Archaic) A style of silent timekeeping (deshi nishabd kriya).
visham grah - 1) The process of hiding or de-emphasizing the sam. 2) An archaic term referring to the start of the percussion on something other than sam (das pran).
visham tal - An obscure tal of 18 beats.
visham yati - An ancient rhythmic form which is constructed so that the changes in tempo are calculated to avoid the structure of the tal. Therefore, the structure of the tal is consciously hidden.
Vishnu - The preserver (i.e., God).
vishnu digambar paddhati - A notational system developed by Vishnu Digambar Paluskar.
Vishnu Digambar Paluskar - A famous Indian musicologist.
vishnu narayan bhatkhande - A famous Indian musicologist.
vishnu tal - An obscure tal of 17 or 36 beats.
vishva tal - An obscure tal of 13 beats.
vitat - A bowed, string instrument (e.g., violin, dilruba, sarangi, etc.)
vivadi - A note which is not allowed in a rag.

GLOSSARY OF TERMS "U" - An Indian Art.

GLOSSARY OF TERMS- An Indian Art.

uday tal - An obscure tal of 12 beats.
udirn tal - An obscure tal of 16 beats.
ukshav tal - A rare tal of 10 beats.
ushakiran tal - A rare tal of 16 beats.
ustad - A learned man, a master.
uthan - A cadenza used commonly in dance and tabla solos. This is a type of mukhada used as an introductory piece.

GLOSSARY OF TERMS "S" - An Indian Art.

GLOSSARY OF TERMS- An Indian Art.

sadanand tal - A tal of three beats somewhat similar to dadra.
sadhana - Great perseverance.
sagar tal - An obscure tal of 17 beats.
salvanth tal - An obscure tal of 26 matras, formerly played on pakhawaj.
sam - The first beat of a cycle.
sam grah - 1) The process of ending a composition on the sam. 2) An archaic term indicating that the music starts on sam. One of the das pran of tal.
sama yati - A type of yati characterized by uniform tempo from beginning to end.
samadarshan tal - An obscure tal of 24 beats.
samavadi - The second most important note of a rag.
samaveda - One of the Vedas (religious texts) of the Hindus.
samay - The appropriate time for performance of a rag.
samir tal - An obscure tal of seven beats.
sampurna jati - A rag of seven notes.
sampurna tihai - A tihai at the end of a kaida which contains the entire theme.
samyak -(Archaic) A style of timekeeping in marg sashabd kriya, characterized by the striking of the stationary right hand with the left hand.
sanchari - A tertiary theme found in dhrupad and other older vocal forms.
sangati - Accompaniment.
sangavikram tal - An obscure tal of 64 beats.
sangeet or - Music and dance.
sangeet ratnakar - An ancient text on music.
sanghalila tal - An obscure tal of 14 beats.
sankirna jati - A rhythm of 4 1/2, 9, 18, etc. beats.
sankirna tihai - A tihai at the end of a kaida which contains only a portion of the theme.
sannipat - (Archaic) A style of timekeeping in the marg sashabd kriya characterized by the movement of both hands.
santoor - See santur.
santur - An Indian hammered dulcimer.
saptak - The register or octave.
sar tal - An obscure tal ofeight beats.
sarangi - A fretless bowed instrument with numerous strings.
Saraswati - Hindu goddess of music, arts, and learning.
saraswati tal - An obscure tal of 18 beats.
saraswati vina - The common south Indian vina.
sargam - The gamut. (i.e,. Sa, Re, Ga, Ma, Pa, Dha, and Ni).
Saringda - A Folk version of sarangi found in Rajastan.
sarod - A stringed instrument similar to rabab.
saroj tal - An obscure tal of 12 beats.
sarpini - (Archaic) A style of silent timekeeping (deshi nishabd kriya).
sashabd kriya - Timekeeping that makes noise (e.g., clapping of hands).
satgun - Division of matra into seven divisions.
sath - A class of compositions found in the pakhawaj styles.
sath sangat - A style of playing where beat-for-beat the tabla follows the main artist.
savai - see sawai.
savari badi tal - See badi savari.
savari choti tal - Choti savari, see pancham savari.
savari pancham tal - See pancham savari.
savari tal - An obscure tal variously described as 14, 15, 16, 30, or 32 beats. See also badi savari or choti savari.
sawai - 11/4 time. (i.e., playing five strokes in four beats.) See kuadi.
shabad - A religious song of the Sikhs.
shadav - A rag composed six notes.
shadj - The first note of the Indian scale (Sa).
shadtal - An obscure tal of 12 beats.
shagird - A student or disciple.
shai - Vernacular of syahi. See syahi.
shakti - Energy, force, power.
shakti tal - An obscure tal of 10 beats.
shambhu tal - An obscure tal of 16 beats.
shankar tal - An obscure tal of 11 beats.
shankh - A conch shell horn.
shankh tal - An obscure tal of 10 or 13 beats.
shanmukh tal - An obscure tal of 10 beats.
sharabhakrida tal - An obscure tal of 19 beats.
sharabhalila tal - An obscure tal of 21 beats.
Sharangdev - Author of Sangeet Ratnakar.
sharajanma tal - An obscure tal of 15 beats.
shastriya sangeet - Classical music.
shavarni tal - An obscure tal of seven beats.
shehnai - An Indian oboe.
shesh tal - An obscure tal of 19 beats.
shikhir tal - An obscure tal of 17 beats.
shikhiravahan tal - An obscure tal of 12 beats.
shishya - A student, or disciple.
shisham - Indian rosewood (Dalbergia sisu).
shobhadham tal - An obscure tal of 22 beats.
shravannil tal - An obscure tal of 21 beats.
shruti tal - An obscure tal of 22 beats.
shuddha - (Lit. "pure") Basic, primary.
shuddha jati - One of the seven modes which may be derived by simple modulation.
shuddha swar - A natural note.
shultal - See sulfak tal.
sidha - The small wooden right hand drum.
singhnad tal - An obscure tal of 40 beats.
sir tal - An obscure tal of six beats.
sitar - A common long necked fretted instrument.
sitarkhani - A 16 beat tal which is the same as Punjabi theka.
sool tal - See sulfak tal.
soolfak tal - See sulfak tal.
srotagata yati - This yati is said to flow like a stream. It begins slow and gradually increases to a fast conclusion.
sthai - The primary theme of a classical vocal piece.
stuti - (Lit. "prayer, praise of God") See bol paran.
sudarshan tal - An obscure tal of 10 or 20 beats.
sul tal - See sulfak tal.
sulfak tal - An old pakhawaj tal of 10 beats.
sur - 1) A note(See swar.). 2) The pitch of the tabla. 3) The maidan.
surbahar - A bass sitar.
Surdas - A great saint who composed many bhajans.
surmandal - A small harp used to accompany vocalists.
sushir - A musical instrument characterized by blowing air (flute, shehnai, harmonium, etc.)
swar - A musical note.
swarlipi - Musical notation.
swarmalika - A style of singing where the vocalist sings the sargam of the song.
swarup - (Lit. "shape" or "form") See pakad.
syahi - The black application on the heads of the tabla.

GLOSSARY OF TERMS "T" - An Indian Art.

GLOSSARY OF TERMS- An Indian Art.

ta - Fundamental tabla bol of the right hand.
ta - Fundamental tabla bol.
taali - See tali.
tabaliya - A respectful term for a tabla player.
tabalji - A slightly derogatory term for a tabla player.
tabla - 1) The pair of Indian hand drums. 2) The right hand drum of the pair. 3) The Arabic word for any drum.
tabla tarang - A musical instrument composed of numerous wooden tabla tuned to different pitches.
tal - 1) The Indian system of rhythm. 2) A particular rhythmic cycle (e.g., tintal, rupak tal, etc.) 3) Clapping of hands. 4) (Archaic) A style of timekeeping in the marg sashabd kriya characterized by the striking of the stationary left hand with the right hand.
tal-lipi - Percussion notation.
tal paddhati - A theoretical framework of rhythm.
tal-vadhya-kachari - A percussion ensemble.
tali - Clapped.
talim - 1) Education, training. 2) A body of pedagogic material.
tamasha - A street performance.
tamir tal - An obscure tal of 14 beats.
tamrakarni tal - An obscure tal of nine beats.
tan - A run of musical notes (i.e., a melodic lick).
tanpura - A long necked, stringed instrument for providing the drone.
Tansen - A great musician in the court of the Emperor Akbar.
tappa - A Punjabi style of semi-classical singing.
tappa tal - A 16 beat tal.
tar saptak - The higher octave.
tarana - A style of singing, originally of Persian origin, today characterized by meaningless syllables.
tasa or tasha - A small drum which is beaten with sticks.
tasma - The rawhide lacing of the tabla.
tat - 1) A tabla bol. 2) A plucked string instrument (e.g., sitar, sarod, etc.)
tawaif - 1) A female entertainer. 2) A prostitute.
tavil - A large drum used in south Indian temples.
te - A tabla bol.
teental - See tintal.
tesra - See tisra
tevra tal - See tivra tal.
thah - See thanh
thah dun - A term used by Benares musicians to indicate a composition played twice, the second time being twice the speed of the first.
thanh - 1) Vilambit. 2) Single time.
thappi - An accompaniment pattern of pakhawaj similar to prakar.
that - A mode.
theka - 1) The fundamental rhythmic pattern used for timekeeping. 2) A type of theme and variation, similar to peshkar, used by musicians of the Benares gharana.
thu - A tabla bol.
thumri - A semiclassical style of singing.
thumri tal - A 16-beat tal used in the accompaniment of thumri singing.
thun - A tabla bol.
ti - Fundamental tabla bol.
tigun - A layakari of 3:1 (i.e., triple-time.)
tihai - A cadenza composed of three identical sections.
tilwara tal - A 16 beat tal similar to tintal.
timir tal - See tamir tal.
tin - Fundamental tabla bol.
tintal - A very common tal of 16 beats.
tipalli - A type of tihai where each phrase is in a different tempo.
tisra - Third.
tisra jati - Triplets.
tisri tali - Third clap.
tivra tal - An old pakhawaj tal of seven beats.
tiya - See tihai.
toda - A tihai
todi - 1) A that (mode). 2) The major rag in Todi that.
top - (Lit. "cannon") A loud paran which characterizes thunder, battles, or similar moods.
tra - A tabla bol of the right hand.
tripalli - See tipalli.
triputa tal - An obscure tal of 8, 9, 11, or 13 beats.
trital - Tintal, a common 16 beat tal.
triveni tal - An obscure tal of 19 beats.
tryastra jati - Any rhythm composed of 3, 6, 12, etc. beats.
tu - A tabla bol.
tukada - A small composition containing a small body and a tihai, very similar to paran except that the bols do not show a pakhawaj influence.
tukheda - See tukada.
tun - A tabla bol.
turanglila tal - An obscure tal of 10 beats.

GLOSSARY OF TERMS "R" - An Indian Art.

GLOSSARY OF TERMS- An Indian Art.

ra - A tabla bol.
rabab - A stringed instrument similar to sarod.
rababiya - One who plays rabab.
rag - The Indian musical modes.
ragini - A female rag.
ragmala - 1) A style of performance where numerous different rags are joined together. 2) A style of painting based upon the characterization of the various rags.
rajamandit tal - An obscure tal of 14 beats.
rajasingh tal - An obscure tal of 40 beats.
rajnarayan tal - An obscure tal of 28 beats.
rang tal - An obscure tal of 16 beats.
rangoli - 1) The decorative patterns drawn on the ground in front of the doorsteps of traditional Hindu families. 2) The powder used to draw the patterns.
rao - A rela like style that accompanies instrumental jhala.
ras tal - An obscure tal of 13 beats.
rassi - The rope lacing on the dholak.
rati tal - An obscure tal of 12 beats.
ravinandani tal - An obscure tal of 14 beats.
rayabank tal - An obscure tal of 24 beats.
razakhani gat - A fast gat played by instruments such as sitar or sarod.
rela - A very fast manipulation of small structures.
ri - A tabla bol.
riaz - See riyaz.
rishabh - The second note of the scale (Re).
riyaz - Perseverance, practice, dedication.
rudra tal - An obscure tal variously considered to be 11, 15, 16, or 17 beats.
rudra vina - An ancient vina composed of a single stick with two gourd resonators.
rupak tal - A common seven beat tal with uncommon variations of 5, 6, 9 or 11 beats.

GLOSSARY OF TERMS "P" - An Indian Art.

GLOSSARY OF TERMS- An Indian Art.

padhat - See padhant.
padhant - The recitation of bols.
padmini - (Archaic) A style of silent timekeeping (deshi nishabd kriya).
pakad - (Lit. "to catch") The characteristic movement of a rag.
pakhawaj - A barrel shaped drum with playing heads on both sides.
pakhawaji - One who plays the pakhawaj.
palla - A section of the tihai that is repeated three times.
palta - A permutation of a kaida.
Paluskar - See Vishnu Digambar Paluskar.
panch savari tal - See pancham savari tal.
pancham - The fifth note of the scale.
pancham savari tal - A rare tal of 15 beats.
pancham tal - An obscure tal of 16 beats.
panchashar tal - An obscure tal of 23 beats.
paran - A class of small compositions derived from pakhawaj tradition.
paran tal - See chautal.
parampara - A lineage, or continuum (e.g., Guru-Shishya-Parampara)
paschami baj - The styles of dilli and ajrada gharanas.
pashto - See pashtu.
pashtu - Some consider this to be mere prakar of rupak while others consider this to be a distinctly separate seven-beat tal.
pashupati tal - An obscure tal of 26 beats.
pat tal - An obscure tal in two beats.
patak - (Archaic) A style of silent timekeeping (deshi nishabd kriya).
patit - (Archaic) A style of silent timekeeping (deshi nishabd kriya).
paune dugan - The division of four beats into seven equal parts.
payal - An ornamental form of ghungharu.
pench - (Lit. "coil" or "screw") 1) A type of palta or variation in a kaida formed by the repetition of the first line three times. 2) Any palta.
peshkar - (Lit. "introduction") An introductory movement similar to kaida but with a different system of permutation.
peshkar kaida - A kaida produced by having a peshkar follow a strict kaida format.
pipilika yati - (Lit. "the movement of an ant") An ancient rhythmic form characterized by sudden and apparently erratic changes in tempo. This derives its name because such sudden changes are characteristic of the movement of an ant.
pital - (Lit. "brass") The brass shell of the bayan.
plut - An archaic unit of time equal to three laghu.
prabhatkiran tal - An obscure tal of 11 beats.
prakar - Different varieties of theka.
praman tal - An obscure tal in 17 beats.
prasad - Food offered to god.
prastar - Permutations upon a kaida or given theme.
pratap shikhar tal - An obscure tal of 13 or 17 beats.
prati tal - An obscure tal of eight beats.
pravesh - (Archaic) A style of silent timekeeping (marg nishabd kriya).
pudi - A tabla head.
Punjab - 1) An area along the border between India and Pakistan. 2) The gharana from this area.
punjabi - (Lit. "from Punjab") A 16 beat tal similar to tintal.
puran tal - An obscure tal of 18 beats.
purna tal - An obscure tal of 19 beats.
purbi - (Lit. "Eastern") The style of playing in the Farukhabad, Lucknow, and Benares traditions.
putra rag - In the ancient rag / ragini system a putra rag is the son-rag.
pungi - 1) A bin or snake charmers instrument. 2) Any reeded noisemaker.

GLOSSARY OF TERMS "Q" - An Indian Art.

GLOSSARY OF TERMS- An Indian Art.

quaida - See kaida.
quada-rela - See kaida-rela
quawwali - See kawali.