Glossary of Indian Music (Part – 02)

Collection by Gurumayum Shivachandra Sharma
Cultural Activist
1. Alankar: In Indian music, every vocalists or musicians creates an improvised pattern of musical decoration within or across the Raga with a personal creative choices, in a progression of Swaras, that improvised musical pattern is called the Alankar. In other words,it is also known as the Palta.
2. Alap: In India music, a form of melodic improvisation that introduces and develops a raga and defines its moods by imaginating with Sangeet Swaras, is called the Alap. According to various ancient records, it is also known as the Anivaddha Gan. There are four kinds of Alap, namely, Ragalap, Rupkalap, Alaptigan and Swasthanalap respectively.
3. Meend: In India music, gliding of Sangeet Swaras from one Swara to another Swara moving with a smooth and quite in a continuous motion is called the Meend. For example, gliding of Swara from G to D, R to P in a continuous motion are the Meend style of singing.
4. Gamak: In Indian music, the ornamented Sangeet Swaras that involve in the variation of pitch of a Sangeet Swara, using a heavy forceful oscillations between the Swaras within the composition is called the Gamak. There are fifteen 15 kinds of Gamak, namely, i) Tirip, ii) Sphurita, iii) Kampita, iv) Lina, v) Andolita, vi) Bali, vii) Trivinna, viii) Kurulla, ix) Ahata, x) Ullashita, xi) Plawita, xii) Hungphita, xiii) Mudrita, xiv) Namita and xv) Mishrita respectively.
5. Khatka: In Indian music, the musical ornaments that involves in performing a single Swara as a cluster of Swara using it’s neighbouring Swaras with the main Swara in the centre of the cluster is called the Khatka. For example, (M) will be sung or perform as PMGM or GMPM, it is the Khatka of Sudha Ma.
6. Tan: In Indian music, the fast trill of a Swara performed in a high speed is called the Tan. There are twenty four types of Tan, namely, a) Sudha Tan, b) Sapat Tan, c) Kutta Tan, d) Mishra Tan, e) Bakra Tan, f) Phirat Tan, g) Sarala Tan, h) Khatke Tan, i) Acharak Tan, j) Bola Tan, k) Gamak Tan, l) Alkarik Tan, m) Barabarki Tan, n) Geetkari Tan, o) Saroka Tan, p) Palat Tan, q) Ladanta Tan, r) Shuttaki Tan, s) Danendar Tan, t) Raganga Tan, u) Halak Tan, v) Jabadeki Tan, w) Saragam Tan and x) Sankirna Tan respectively.
7. Laya: The process where sound are seperated by the time in an equal proportion is called the Laya or the tempo. There are five styles of Layas, they are the Ati Vilambit Laya (very slow), the Vilambit Laya (slow), the Madhya Laya (medium), the Drut Laya (fast) and the Atti Drut Laya (very fast) respectively.
8. Tala: In Indian music, the measurement of time during a performance in a systematic nature is called the Tala. For example, some common Talas of Indian music are Dadra, Kaharwa, Rupak, Jhaptaal, Ektaal, Khemta taal, Tewora, Jhoomara, Sultaal, Choutala, etc,.
9. Bol: The word Bol is derived from a Hindi word Bolna which means ‘to speak’. So, in Indian music, the mnemonic syllable which are used to define the Tala, or rhythmic pattern is known as the Bol. For example, some common Bol which are popularly used are Dha, Dhin, Ta, Terekete, GaDi, Gana, etc,.
10.Theka: The basic rhythmic phrases of Bols in a particular Tala to establish an unique rhythm of beats and metric cylcle of beats in a performance is called the Theka. For example, the Theka of Taal Dadra is Dha Dhi Na, Na Tin Na, Dha.