In the earlier article on taal we met the basic idea of rhythmic cycles. Now let’s go deeper: Which instruments play taal? How are taals classified? What are taali, khali, khand, jaati? And how did all this enter Hindustani music?
Instruments used to play taal
In North Indian (Hindustani) classical music, the main rhythm instruments are:
- Tabla – the most famous pair of drums today. The right-hand drum (dayan) is usually tuned to the tonic or dominant; the left-hand drum (bayan) provides bass and modulation.
- Pakhawaj – an older barrel-shaped drum, the main percussion instrument for Dhrupad. It has a majestic, booming sound.
- Dholak – a more folk-oriented double-headed drum, also used in light classical and devotional music (bhajans, kirtans).
- Khanjari / Manjeera / Handclaps – small cymbals or even just clapping hands can mark the taal in lighter forms.
In South Indian (Carnatic) music, relatives like mridangam and ghatam take similar roles, though the tala system there is more mathematically developed. The core idea – a repeating rhythmic cycle – is shared.
Taali and Khali – claps and waves
Each taal is divided into sections (vibhags). Some of these get a clap (taali), some get a wave (khali – literally “empty”).
Take Teentaal (16 beats) as a classic example:
- Beats 1–4: taali (clap) on 1
- Beats 5–8: taali on 5
- Beats 9–12: khali – wave on 9 (no clap)
- Beats 13–16: taali on 13
When musicians practice, listeners often mark this with hands: clap–clap–wave–clap. Taali vibhags feel “full” and strong; khali vibhags feel light or empty. Compositions and improvisations play with this contrast.
Khand and Jaati – grouping and beat-count
In many explanations, khand is used informally to mean a “section” or grouping within the taal – similar to vibhag. For example, Teentaal’s 16 beats are grouped into 4+4+4+4 – four khands/vibhags of 4 beats each.
Jaati (or Jati) is a way of classifying rhythmic patterns by the number of beats or units in a group. You’ll see terms like:
- Tisra – 3 (triplet-like grouping)
- Chatusra – 4
- Khanda – 5
- Misra – 7
- Sankeerna – 9
These terms are especially prominent in Carnatic music, but the ideas are understood in Hindustani music too – for example when tabla players explore 3’s, 5’s, or 7’s across a taal.
How taal entered Hindustani music
Ancient Indian texts like Natya Shastra and Sangeet Ratnakar already describe sophisticated rhythmic systems (tala). Over centuries, these ideas interacted with regional folk rhythms, devotional traditions, and court music.
In North India:
- Early classical forms like Dhrupad used pakhawaj and more straightforward talas.
- With the rise of court culture, Persian and Central Asian influences blended with Indian ideas. Over time, the tabla evolved (most likely around the 18th century), bringing huge possibilities for rhythmic variation and solo playing.
- Modern Hindustani concerts now almost always feature tabla as the primary taal instrument for khayal and instrumental music.
Famous tabla artists you might know
A few iconic names, especially recognizable to global audiences:
- Ustad Zakir Hussain – perhaps the most internationally known tabla maestro.
- Ustad Alla Rakha – legendary accompanist of Pt. Ravi Shankar; Zakir Hussain’s father.
- Pandit Kishan Maharaj – great master of the Benares gharana.
- Pandit Anokhelal Mishra – known for powerful and complex playing.
- Pandit Swapan Chaudhuri, Pandit Anindo Chatterjee – leading modern exponents.
Listening to a good tabla solo or a great accompaniment will make all this theory feel real very quickly – you’ll start hearing the taal as a living, breathing cycle rather than just numbers.