Dadra Taal


Dadra tal is six or three beat tal which is extremely common in the the lighter forms of music. It is is commonly found in qawwalis, film songs, bhajans, gazals, and folk music throughout India.

The name is derived from its association with the dadra style of singing. This is a semiclassical form that is somewhat similar to thumri. The dadra style of singing in turn, derives its name from the place where it began.

There are a number of reasons for Dadra's extreme popularity. One reason is the ease in performing in three and six beats; it is very symmetrical and posses no great challenge. Another reason for it being so common lies in the Indian taxonomy of tals. Virtually any tal of three, six, and 12-matras of folk origins, is routinely lumped under the title of Dadra. Even though they may have no cultural connections, traditional Indian musicology considers them to be the same tal. Therefore, the large number of musical tributaries contributes greatly to the variety of prakars, its popularity, and the geographical distribution of Dadra.

The "textbook case" is simple. It is a six-beat tal that is divided into two vibhags of three matras each. The first vibhag is clapped and the second vibhag iswaved.

Dadra may be played in a variety of tempos. It may be heard anywhere from moderately slow to extremely fast speeds. Only the extremely slow (vilambit) performances are conspicuously absent.

CLAPPING/ WAVING ARRANGEMENT: clap, 2, 3, wave, 2, 3
NUMBER OF BEATS : 6
THEKA : Dhaa Dhin Naa Dhaa Tin Naa

Dadra (6/2). It contains six matras, split into two parts, each of three matras. In this first part, there is one tali (hand clap), and in second part, there is one khali (empty). The first matrahas sam, while the fourth matra is khali (empty) as under:

Matras 1 2 3 4 5 6
Words DHA DHI NA TI TI NA
Theka + 0

by David Courtney, Ph.D

 
Beats 6 Jaati Teeshra
Taali 1 Khaali 4
Division 3/3

Note : The beat number is shown on top of the bol and taali khaali markings are shown below the bol. To make it visually easy to read the taal is written in a certain format which is NOT according to its division. So please look at the division carefully and dont go on the visual representation for the division of a taal.
Bol
1
Dhaa
+
2
Ge
 
3
Naa
 
4
Dhaa
o
5
Tu
 
6
Naa
 
Taal Dadra (6 Beats) 1 2 3 4 5 6
             
Basic Beat Dha Dhin Na Dha Toon Na
             
Double Speed DhaDhin NaDha ToonNa DhaDhin NaDha ToonNa
             
Variation 1 Dha Dhin Na Ti Ti Na
             
Varitaion 2 Dha Toon Toon Na Dhin Dhin
             
Variation 3 Dha Dhin Dha Dha Toon Na
             
Variation 4 Dha Toon Toon Na Dhin Na
             
Variation 5 DhaDhin DhaDha ToonNa NaToon DhaDha DhinNa
             
Variation 6 DhaDhin DhaDha ToonNa NaToon DhaDha DhinNa
             
Variation 7 DhaGe DhinNa GeNa DhaGe ToonNa KiNa
             
Variation 8 DhinNa GeNa DhaDha ToonNa KiNa NaNa
             
Variation 9 KaTi KaTi Dha KaTi KaTi Dha
             
Variation 10 Dha KaTi KaTi Na KaTi KaTi
             
Variation 11 DhinNa GeNa DhaGe ToonNa KeNa NaGe