Teentaal Theka, Kaida-s and Tihai-s

An Article by Peyman Nasehpour

Introduction

Indian musicians believe that teentaal is the King of taal-s (rhythms) and because of this I give here some compositions in this taal.

Teental is the most common rhythm used in Indian Classical music (vocal, instrumental and dance music) with all different laya-s (tempos). There are so many versions in different gharana-s (stylistic schools of music in India). I give the one who has written in the great book, Tabla -- Lessons and Practice 2nd Edition, by Pandit Aloke Dutta.

Teentaal is in16 matra-s (beats) divided into 4+4+4+4.

The most famous teentaal theka (main cycle) is:

Dha Dhin Dhin Dha

Dha Dhin Dhin Dha

Na   Tin    Tin   Na

Ta    Dhin Dhin Dha

Now I give some teentaal kaida-s. I should mention that kaida is derived from the Arabic-Persian name Ghaedeh that literally means rule.

Teentaal Kaida No. 1 from [D]:

Dha Dha Te Te Dha Dha Tu    Na

Ta   Ta    Te Te Dha Dha Dhin Na

Now I give some kaida-s similar to the teentaal kaida No. 1. I have composed them some years ago, but it is very natural that some other people have composed the same or similar kaida-s.

Dha Te Te Tu Na Dhe Dhe Na Dha Dha Te Te Dha Dha Tu Na

Ta   Te Te Tu Na Te   Te    Na Dha Dha Te Te Dha Dha Dhi Na

Dha Te Te Dha Ge Na Te Te Dha Dha Te Te Dha Dha Tu Na

Ta    Te Te Ta   Ke Na TeTe Dha Dha Te Te Dha Dha Dhi Na

Dha Te Te Te Te Dha Te Te Te Te Te Te Dha Dha Tu Na

Ta   Te Te Te Te Ta   Te Te Te Te Te Te Dha Dha Dhi Na

Dha Dhi Na Dhi Na   Dha Dhi Na

Dha Dha Te Te Dha Dha Tu  Na

Na   Tu   Na Tu  Na  Na   Tu  Na

Dha Dha Te Te Dha Dha Dhi Na

Dha Tu Na Dha Tu Na Te Te Dha Dha Te Te Dha Dha Tu Na

Ta   Tu Na Ta   Tu  Na Te Te Dha Dha Te Te Dha Dha Dhi Na

Dha TeRe KeTe Dha Ge Na Tu Na Dha Dha Te Te Dha Dha Tu  Na

Ta   TeRe KeTe  Ta   Ke Na Tu Na Dha Dha Te Te Dha Dha Dhi Na

Teentaal Kaida No. 2 from [D]:

Dha Te Te Dha Te Te Dha Dha Te Te Dha Ga Tu  Na Ke Na

Ta    Te Te Ta   Te Te Ta  Ta    Te Te Dha Ga Dhi Na Ge Na

This is a very famous kaida and there are lots of different variations. So it is better to refer to the books and I give only two similar kaida-s.

Te Te Dha Te Te Dha Te Te Te Te Dha Ga Tu Na Ke Na

Te Te Ta   Te Te Ta   Te Te Te Te Dha Ga Dhi Na Ge Na

Dha Te Te Te Te Dha Te Te Te Te Dha Ga Tu  Na Ke Na

Ta   Te Te Te Te Ta    Te Te Te Te Dha Ga Dhi Na Ge Na

In this kaida I have not used the same phrases such as Dha Te Te & Dha Dha Te Te but structurally it is similar to the kaida No. 2.

Dha Ge Na Dha Ge Na Dha Ge Na Na Dha Ga Tu   Na Ke Na

Ta   Ke  Na Ta   Ke Na Ta   Ke  Na Na Dha Ga Dhi Na Ge Na

Similar to kaida No. 2 it is possible to compose lots of different variations. But I only give one:

Dha Ge Na Dha Ge Na Dha -- Dha Ge Na Dha Ge Na Dha --

Dha Ge Na Dha Ge Na Dha Ge Na Na Dha Ga Tu Na Ke Na

Ta   Ke Na Ta    Ke Na Ta   -- Ta   Ke Na Ta    Ke Na Ta   --

Dha Ge Na Dha Ge Na Dha Ge Na Na Dha Ga Dhi Na Ge Na

Teentaal Kaida No. 3 from [D]:

"Ustad Habibuddin Khan had two styles, which is easy to understand because his father, Shammu Khan of Ajrara School, with whom he started learning, died only four years after his institution. As a result, he continued his studies with Natthu Khan of the Delhi School. For example he played a kaida, from Delhi, which goes as follows:
 
Dha Ge Na Te Te Dha Ge Na Te Te Dha Ga Tu  Na Ke Na
Ta   Ke Na  Te Te Ta   Ke Na Te Te Dha Ga Dhi Na Ge Na"

I give some kaida-s similar to kaida No. 3, which I have composed them some years ago. Again I emphasize that it is quite natural that the same or similar kaida-s have been composed by other people.

Dha Ge Na Te Te Dha Te Te Dha Ti Dha Ga Tu   Na Ke Na

Ta   Ke Na  Te Te Ta   Te Te Dha Ti Dha Ga Dhi Na Ge Na

Tu Na Dha Ge Na Te Te Dha Ge Na Dha Ga Tu   Na Ke Na

Tu Na Ta   Ke Na  Te Te Dha Ge Na Dha Ga Dhi Na Ge Na

Dha Ge Na Te Te Te  Te  Dha Ge Na Te Te Te  Te Dha Ti

Dha Ge Na Te Te Dha Ge Na Te Te Dha Ga Tu Na Ke Na

Ta   Ke Na  Te Te Te  Te  Ta  Ke  Na Te Te Te  Te Dha Ti

Dha Ge Na Te Te Dha Ge Na Te Te Dha Ga Dhi Na Ge Na

Teentaal Kaida No. 4:

Dha Ge Na Dha Ti Dha Ge Na Dha Ti Dha Ga Tu   Na Ke Na

Ta   Ke Na  Ta   Ti Ta   Ke Na  Ta  Ti  Dha Ga Dhi Na Ge Na

Ending a teentaal kaida with the phrases "Dha Ti Dha Ga Tu   Na Ke Na" and similarly "Ta  Ti  Dha Ga Dhi Na Ge Na" is so popular in Indian tabla solo recitals.

Here I give some samples:

Dha Ge Na Na Ti Dha Ge Na Dha Ti Dha Ga Tu   Na Ke Na

Ta   Ke Na Na  Ti Ta   Ke Na Dha Ti Dha Ga Dhi  Na Ge Na

Ka Ta Dha Ti Dha Ge Na Na Dha Ti Dha Ga Tu   Na Ke Na

Ka Ta Ta   Ti Ta    Ke Na Na Dha Ti Dha Ga Dhi  Na Ge Na

Dha Ge Na Dha TeRe KeTe Dhe Te Dha Ti Dha Ga Tu   Na Ke Na

Ta   Ke  Na Ta   TeRe KeTe The Te Dha Ti Dha Ga Dhi  Na Ge Na

Dha Na Tu Na Dha Tu Na Na Dha Ti Dha Ga Tu   Na Ke Na

Ta   Na Tu Na Ta    Tu Na Na Dha Ti Dha Ga Dhi  Na Ge Na

Dha -- TeRe KeRe Dhe Te Ge Na Dha Ti Dha Ga Tu   Na Ke Na

Ta   -- TeRe KeRe  The Te Ge Na Dha Ti Dha Ga Dhi Na Ge Na

Teentaal Kaida No. 5:

Tu Na Dha Ge Na Tu Na Dha Ge Na Dha Ga Tu  Na Ke Na

Tu Na Ta   Ke Na  Tu Na Ta   Ke Na Dha Ga Dhi Na Ge Na

Teentaal Kaida No. 6:

Dha Ti Dha Ge Na Dha Ti Dha Ge Na Dha Ga Tu   Na Ke Na

Ta   Ti Ta   Ke Na  Ta   Ti Ta   Ke Na  Dha Ga Dhi Na Ge Na

Teentaal Kaida No. 7:

Dha Dha Te Te Dha Ge Na Dha TeRe KeTe Dha Ga Tu  Na Ke Na

Ta   Ta    Te Te Ta   Ke Na Ta   TeRe KeTe Dha Ga Dhi Na Ge Na

Variation of Kaida No. 7:

Dha Dha Te Te Dha Ge Na Dha TeRe KeTe Dha Ge Na Dha TeRe KeTe

Dha Dha Te Te Dha Ge Na Dha TeRe KeTe Dha Ga Tu  Na   Ke    Na

Ta   Ta    Te Te Ta   Ke Na  Ta   TeRe KeTe Ta   Ke Na  Ta  TeRe KeTe

Dha Dha Te Te Dha Ge Na Dha TeRe KeTe Dha Ga Dhi  Na  Ge   Na

Now I give some teentaal kaida-s ending with the phrases "Dha Ge Na Tu  Na Ke Na" and similarly "Dha Ge Na Dhi Na Ge Na".

Teentaal Kaida No. 8:

Ka Ta Dha Ti Dha Ge Na Dha Ti Dha Ge Na Tu  Na Ke Na

Ka Ta Ta   Ti Ta    Ke Na Ta   Ti Dha Ge Na Dhi Na Ge Na

Variation of Kaida No. 8:

Ka Ta Dha Ti Dha Ge Na Dha -- Dha Ge Na Dha Ge Na Na

Ka Ta Dha Ti Dha Ge Na Dha Ti Dha Ge Na Tu  Na Ke Na

Ka Ta Ta   Ti Ta    Ke Na Ta   -- Ta    Ke Na Ta  Ke Na Na

Ka Ta Dha Ti Dha Ge Na Dha Ti Dha Ge Na Dhi Na Ge Na

Teentaal Kaida No. 9:

Dha Ge Te Te Dha Ge Na Te Te Dha Ge Na Tu  Na Ke Na

Ta   Ke  Te Te Ta   Ke Na Te Te Dha Ge Na Dhi Na Ge Na

Teentaal Kaida No. 10:

Dha Ge Na Dha -- Dha TeRe KeTe Dha Ge Na Dha Tu  Na Ke Na

Ta   Ke Na  Ta   -- Ta   TeRe KeTe Dha Ge Na Dha Dhi Na Ge Na

Teentaal Tihai-s:

Tihai indicates the end of a composition. Tihai is the figure at the end of an elaborated or fixed composition, which begins on any matra in the given taal and, after being played three times, ends on sam (the first matra of a taal).

Repeating three times a phrase in 11 beats can be a tihai for teentaal, because (3)(11)=33=(2)(16)+1 and the 33rd beat of the composition will be the first beat (sam) of the third cycle of the composition in teentaal.

Now I give some examples of teentaal tihai-s.

Teentaal Tihai No. 1:

Ti  Na Dha Ge Na  Ti Na Dha Ge Na  Ti Na Dha Ge Na  Ti

Na Dha Ge Na  Dha, -- Ti Na Dha Ge Na  Ti Na Dha Ge Na 

Ti  Na Dha Ge Na  Ti Na Dha Ge Na  Dha, -- Ti Na Dha Ge

Na  Ti Na Dha Ge Na  Ti Na Dha Ge Na  Ti Na Dha Ge Na 

Dha.

Teentaal Tihai No. 2:

Ka Ta Dha Ti Dha Ge Na Na Ti Dha Ge Na Dha Ti Dha Ga

Tu Na Ke Na Dha, -- Ka Ta Dha Ti Dha Ge Na Na Ti Dha

Ge Na Dha Ti Dha Ga Tu Na Ke Na Dha, -- Ka Ta Dha Ti

Dha Ge Na Na Ti Dha Ge Na Dha Ti Dha Ga Tu Na Ke Na

Dha.

Teentaal Tihai No. 3:

Te Te Dha Ge Na Te Te Dha Ge Na Te Te Dha Ge Na Te

Te Dha Ge Na Dha,-- Te Te Dha Ge Na Te Te Dha Ge Na

Te Te Dha Ge Na Te Te Dha Ge Na Dha,-- Te Te Dha Ge

Na Te Te Dha Ge Na Te Te Dha Ge Na Te Te Dha Ge Na

Dha.

Teentaal Tihai No. 4:

Te Te Ka Tha Ga Di Ge Ne Dha -- Ti Dha -- Ti Dha --

Ti Dha -- Ti Dha, -- Te Te Ka Tha Ga Di Ge Ne Dha --

Ti Dha -- Ti Dha -- Ti Dha -- Ti Dha, -- Te Te Ka Tha

Ga Di Ge Ne Dha -- Ti Dha -- Ti Dha -- Ti Dha -- Ti

Dha.

Teentaal Tihai No. 5:

Te Te Ka Tha Ga Di Ge Ne Dha -- Din -- Dha -- -- --

Te Te Ka Tha Ga Di Ge Ne Dha -- Din -- Dha -- -- --

Te Te Ka Tha Ga Di Ge Ne Dha, -- -- -- Te Te Ka Tha

Ga Di Ge Ne Dha -- Din -- Dha -- -- -- Te Te Ka Tha

Ga Di Ge Ne Dha -- Din -- Dha -- -- -- Te Te Ka Tha

Ga Di Ge Ne Dha, -- -- -- Te Te Ka Tha Ga Di Ge Ne

Dha -- Din -- Dha -- -- -- Te Te Ka Tha Ga Di Ge Ne

Dha -- Din -- Dha -- -- -- Te Te Ka Tha Ga Di Ge Ne

Dha.

Acknowledgements

The author wishes to thank Pt. Arvind Parikh (master of Indian sitar) and Mr. Lakshman Rai for their help, encouragement and support.

References:

[C]: David R. Courtney, Fundamentals of Tabla, Vol. I, Sur Sangeet Services, Houston, 1998.

[D]: Aloke Dutta, Tabla (Lessons and Practice), 2nd Edition, Texas, 1995.

Date of Publication: April, 4th 2002