After the slow, expansive world of alaap, Indian classical music often shifts into a more athletic mode: Taan. If alaap is the poet, taan is the acrobat.
A taan is a fast, usually rhythmic phrase that weaves through the notes of the raag, often in patterns and permutations, always aligned to the underlying taal cycle. Good taans require not only imagination, but also serious breath control, voice training, or instrumental technique.
Types of taan
1. Bol Taan
Here, the taan uses the words of the bandish rather than just “aa aa” or sargam (Sa Re Ga…). The artist stretches, repeats, and recombines syllables of the lyrics at high speed while staying in the raag.
2. Sapat Taan
Sapat means “straight”. These are taans that move in a straight ascending or descending order of notes – like running up and down the scale – but still within the raag’s allowed patterns.
3. Alankar Taan
Alankars are patterns or “ornamental exercises” in swars. When these patterns are executed at high speed in a raag, they become Alankar Taans. For example, patterns like Sa Re Sa Re, Re Ga Re Ga, etc., adapted to the raag’s notes.
4. Bol Alankar Taan
Combine the idea of bol (lyrics) and alankar (patterns), and you get Bol Alankar Taan – patterned taans executed using the words of the composition.
5. Shuddha Taan
A Shuddha Taan is clean and straightforward, without elaborate ornamentation – just fast but clear movement through the notes, often used to show precision and control.
6. Vakra Taan
Vakra means “crooked” or “zigzag”. Many raags themselves have vakra movements; Vakra Taans echo these by moving in non-linear, twisty patterns (e.g., Sa Ma Ga Re, Ga Ni Dha Pa, etc.), staying faithful to the raag’s characteristic turns.
7. Gamak Taan
In Gamak Taan, notes are delivered with forceful, oscillating movements. The swar is not just touched; it’s shaken and rocked. Raags from Bhairav, Poorvi, and Marwa thaats often showcase dramatic and powerful gamak taans, especially in Dhrupad.
8. Lagat Taan
Here, notes are “latched” to each other in a smooth but continuous stream, like a long unbroken ribbon of sound. Breath management (for singers) or bow/air control (for instrumentalists) is crucial.
9. Meend Taan
Meend means glide. Meend Taans use sliding transitions between notes rather than discrete jumps. String instruments like sitar and sarod shine in meend taans, and a skilled vocalist can make them sound almost like a singing violin.
In performance, artists rarely stick to one type. A great taan section is a bouquet of different taan styles, rising in intensity and complexity while always landing beautifully on the sam of the taal.