Taals

Vibhag 3 + 3 · Taali on 1 · Khaali on 4

Light, swinging 6-beat cycle — a lullaby feel. The shortest of the common kirtan taals.

In kirtanLight shabads, bhajans, soohi-style love-of-the-divine compositions, and many ladies' kirtan settings.

Vibhag 3 + 2 + 2 · Taali on 4, 6 · Khaali on 1

7 matras starting on khaali — gives a floating, almost off-balance feeling that resolves on the sam.

In kirtanBhajans, ghazals and many devotional shabads. Often used for chhants set in slow-to-medium tempo.

Vibhag 4 + 4 · Taali on 1 · Khaali on 5

Easy, walking 8-beat cycle — the workhorse of folk and devotional music.

In kirtanFolk-style kirtan, harmonium-led sangat singing, and most modern shabads sung outside the strict raag tradition.

Vibhag 2 + 3 + 2 + 3 · Taali on 1, 3, 8 · Khaali on 6

10 matras split 2-3-2-3 — gentle, lilting, asymmetric. Sounds neither even nor uneven.

In kirtanMadhya laya khayal and bhajans. Heard in dhrupad-leaning shabad kirtan and in classical raag presentations.

Vibhag 2 + 2 + 2 + 2 + 2 · Taali on 1, 3, 7, 9 · Khaali on 5

A pakhawaj taal of 10 matras — bold and martial, related to chautaal in feel.

In kirtanDhrupad and dhamar compositions. Heard in classical Gurmat Sangeet on pakhawaj/jori.

Vibhag 2 + 2 + 2 + 2 + 2 + 2 · Taali on 1, 5, 9, 11 · Khaali on 3, 7

The principal pakhawaj taal of dhrupad — solid, weighty and architectural. Played on jori and pakhawaj, not usually on tabla.

In kirtanDhrupad-style shabad kirtan, especially in the Adi Granth raag tradition and at Sri Hazoor Sahib and Buddha Dal kirtan.

Vibhag 2 + 2 + 2 + 2 + 2 + 2 · Taali on 1, 5, 9, 11 · Khaali on 3, 7

Open, expansive cycle of 12 matras — gives space for alaap and slow elaboration. The 'Dha-ge Tirakita' opening is unmistakable.

In kirtanVilambit khayal and slow shabad-khayal. Common in dhrupad-style kirtan on jori and pakhawaj when sped up.

Vibhag 2 + 4 + 4 + 4 · Taali on 1, 3, 11 · Khaali on 7

A cross-rhythmic 14-matra taal — feels 'ada' (slanted) against the pulse.

In kirtanMadhya-laya khayal and shabad-khayal in pure classical kirtan.

Vibhag 3 + 4 + 3 + 4 · Taali on 1, 4, 11 · Khaali on 8

14 matras with a graceful, swaying gait — much loved in thumri and the lighter raagas.

In kirtanThumri-ang shabads and chhants, especially in pilu, kafi and tilang influenced kirtan.

Vibhag 5 + 2 + 3 + 4 · Taali on 1, 6, 11 · Khaali on 8

A 14-matra pakhawaj taal associated with Holi compositions — bold, festive and uneven.

In kirtanDhamar shabads and pakhawaj-led kirtan, especially in spring-themed compositions in basant and hori-ang.

Vibhag 3 + 4 + 3 + 4 · Taali on 1, 4, 11 · Khaali on 8

A heavier 14-matra cycle than deepchandi — meditative and rolling, suited to vilambit.

In kirtanSlow khayal-style shabads in deep raagas like darbari, malkauns and bageshri.

Vibhag 3 + 4 + 4 + 4 · Taali on 1, 4, 8, 12

A 15-matra sawari cycle — deliberately uneven, majestic, and demanding to hold cleanly.

In kirtanClassical khayal kirtan and Gurmat Sangeet recitals where the rhythmic gait is meant to feel lifted and asymmetrical.

Vibhag 4 + 4 + 4 + 4 · Taali on 1, 5, 13 · Khaali on 9

The 'Punjabi' variation of teental — same 16 matras, but with held beats that give the cycle a rolling Punjabi gait.

In kirtanVery common in modern Punjabi kirtan and in shabads sung at Sikh diwans.

Vibhag 4 + 4 + 4 + 4 · Taali on 1, 5, 13 · Khaali on 9

The most widely used taal — balanced, even, and stately. Sits well in medium and fast tempos.

In kirtanThe default tabla taal for most shabad kirtan in vilambit, madhya and drut laya. Used for partaals, chhants and most rabab/dilruba shabads.

Vibhag 4 + 4 + 4 + 4 · Taali on 1, 5, 13 · Khaali on 9

16 matras like teental, but a more elaborate theka — open and breathing, with a long 'Tirakita' on matra 2.

In kirtanVilambit khayal. In kirtan, used for slow exploratory shabad-khayals in pure classical settings.

Not a single taal — partaal means the taal itself changes within the shabad. Each section (pad / antara) is set to a different taal, often shifting between roopak, jhaptaal, teental and ektaal.

In kirtanMany Gurbani partaal shabads are explicitly titled 'Partaal' in SGGS (e.g. Aasa M5 Partaal, Sorath M5 Partaal). A signature feature of Sikh raag kirtan, demonstrating mastery of multiple taals in one composition.