Indian classical music: raga and tala

Indian classical music is centuries old, mostly improvised, and built on two big ideas: raga (melody) and tala (rhythm).

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Raga and tala

There are two main traditions: Hindustani (north India) and Carnatic (south India).
A raga is a set of notes with its own rules for going up and down, special phrases and a mood. Some ragas are linked to a time of day or a season. Notes are sung to sargam names: Sa Re Ga Ma Pa Dha Ni.
A tala is a repeating rhythmic cycle. A popular one, teental (tintal), has 16 beats (4 + 4 + 4 + 4). The first beat of the cycle is called sam and is the most important.

The instruments

Hindustani instruments:
InstrumentWhat it is
SitarA long-necked plucked string instrument with frets and extra 'sympathetic' strings that vibrate on their own
TablaA pair of hand drums: a smaller, higher drum and a larger, lower drum
TanpuraA plucked string instrument that plays a drone throughout
BansuriA bamboo flute
SarangiA bowed string instrument

A performance

A Hindustani performance often has three layers: the melody (voice, sitar or bansuri), the drone (tanpura, usually on Sa and Pa) and the rhythm (tabla).
It often begins with an alap: a slow, free-time introduction with no tabla, exploring the notes of the raga. Then a steady pulse enters (the jor), and later a fast, exciting section (the jhala). A composed piece with tabla, the gat (instrumental) or bandish (sung), then follows, with improvisation.
Music is traditionally passed from teacher to student by ear. Ravi Shankar brought the sitar to audiences worldwide and worked with George Harrison of the Beatles.
Worked example

How many full cycles of teental are there in 64 beats, and on which beat does each cycle begin?

  1. Teental has 16 beats in each cycle.
  2. 64 ÷ 16 = 4 cycles.
  3. Each cycle begins on sam, the first beat.

Answer: 4 cycles, each starting on sam (beat 1).

Key idea

Raga is the melodic framework; tala is the rhythmic cycle (teental has 16 beats; sam is beat 1). Instruments: sitar, tabla, tanpura (drone), bansuri, sarangi. A performance often starts with a slow, free alap, then jor and jhala. It is improvised and learnt by ear.

Key words
Raga
In Indian classical music, a set of notes with rules, characteristic phrases and a mood, used for melody and improvisation.
Tala
In Indian classical music, a repeating rhythmic cycle, such as teental (16 beats).
Teental
A tala of 16 beats (4 + 4 + 4 + 4). Beat 1 is called sam.
Drone
A long held or repeated note or notes, often the 1st and 5th of the scale.
Pulse
The steady beat of the music.

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  1. What is a tala?

    1. A repeating rhythmic cycle in Indian music
    2. A set of notes for melody
    3. A pair of drums
    4. A drone instrument
    Show the answer

    Answer: A repeating rhythmic cycle in Indian music

    The tala is the rhythmic framework.

  2. Teental is a tala used in Indian classical music. How many beats does one cycle have?

    Show the answer

    Answer: 16 beats

    Teental has 16 beats (4 + 4 + 4 + 4).

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Last updated 2 October 2026. Spotted a mistake? Tell us and we will fix it.