A tabla is a pair of hand drums from the Indian subcontinent. Since the 18th century, it has been the main drum instrument in Hindustani classical music. It can be played alone, with other instruments and singers, or as part of larger musical groups. The tabla is often used in popular and folk music performances in India, Bangladesh, Afghanistan, Pakistan, Nepal, and Sri Lanka. It is an important instrument in the bhakti devotional traditions of Hinduism and Sikhism, such as during bhajan and kirtan singing. It is also one of the main instruments used in qawwali music by Sufi musicians. The tabla is featured in dance performances like Kathak. The tabla is a rhythmic instrument.

The word "tabla" likely comes from "tabl," the Arabic word for drum. Scholars disagree about the instrument’s origin, but the earliest evidence shows it evolved from drum-like instruments in the Indian subcontinent. Drum-like structures are mentioned in ancient texts from the Vedic period.

The tabla consists of two small drums of slightly different sizes and shapes. Each drum is made from hollowed-out wood, clay, or metal. The smaller drum (dayan/tabla) is used to create high-pitched and tonal sounds. The larger drum (baya/dagga) is used to produce deep, low sounds. The drums are held together with hoops, thongs, and wooden dowels on their sides. The dowels and hoops help tighten the drum membranes to adjust the sound.

Playing the tabla requires complex techniques. Musicians use their fingers and palms in different ways to create many sounds and rhythms. These rhythms are often remembered using special words called "bol."

Origins

According to a legend, the tabla was created from an ancient drum called mridana, which the deity Krishna is said to have cut in half. The history of the tabla is unclear. Although it is believed to have originated in Afghanistan, it is not known which king brought it to India. There are two groups of theories: one suggests the instrument had origins in India, while the other claims it was introduced by Muslim and Mughal invaders from the Indian subcontinent. Carvings in Bhaja Caves support the idea of indigenous origins, but clear pictures of the drum only appear around 1745. The drum’s shape continued to change until the early 1800s.

The origin of the tabla is linked to an ancient Indian civilization. Stone carvings in Bhaja Caves show a woman playing two drums, which some believe proves the tabla’s ancient roots in India. Another theory says the tabla took on a new Arabic name during Islamic rule and evolved from older Indian drums called puśkara. Evidence of these drums appears in temple carvings from the 6th and 7th centuries, such as at the Muktesvara and Bhuvaneswara temples. These carvings show drummers sitting with small drums, but it is unclear if these drums were made of the same materials or played the same music as modern tabla.

Sanskrit texts provide information about materials and construction methods similar to the tabla. The Hindu text Natyashastra describes how to build and play drums like the tabla. It also mentions paste-patches (syahi), which are used on modern tabla. Another South Indian text, Silappatikaram, written in the early centuries of the first millennium CE, lists thirty types of drums, including puśkara. The word "tabla" appears in later writings.

One theory connects the word "tabla" to the Arabic word "tabl," meaning "drum." Historical records show that Muslim armies carried large paired drums called naqqara during invasions. These drums were used to scare people and animals, but they looked and sounded different from the modern tabla.

Another theory says Amir Khusraw, a musician who worked for Sultan Alauddin Khalji, invented the tabla by cutting an Awaj drum in half. However, no paintings, sculptures, or documents from his time support this claim. Muslim historians, such as Abul Fazi, who wrote about musical instruments in the 16th century, did not mention the tabla in their lists.

A third theory credits the 18th-century musician Amir Khusru with creating the tabla by cutting a Pakhawaj drum into two parts. Miniature paintings from this time show instruments that resemble the tabla. This theory suggests the tabla developed within the Muslim community in the Indian subcontinent, not from Arabia. However, scholars like Neil Sorrell and Ram Narayan say this story is not supported by evidence.

History

Drums and rhythmic patterns called talas are described in ancient Indian texts from the Vedic era. A type of drum called Pushkara (also spelled Pushkala), made with two or three small drums tied together with strings, was used in the Indian subcontinent before the 5th century. Other drums, like the Mridang, were also present during this time, but they were not yet called tabla. Paintings in the Ajanta Caves from the pre-5th century show musicians playing small upright drums similar to tabla, along with a kettle-shaped Mridang drum and cymbals. Similar carvings of musicians playing drums are found in the Ellora Caves and other sites.

Ancient Indian drums, along with other musical instruments, are mentioned in writings by Buddhist monks from Tibet and China who visited the Indian subcontinent during the 1st millennium CE. In Tibetan texts, the Pushkara drum is called rdzogs pa. The Pushkara and other drums are also described in ancient Jain and Buddhist texts, such as Samavayasutra, Lalitavistara, and Sutralamkara.

Stone carvings in Hindu and Jain temples, such as the Eklingji temple in Udaipur, Rajasthan, show people playing small drums similar to the tabla. Small drums were widely used during the Yadava rule (1210–1247) in southern India, a time when the musical treatise Sangita Ratnakara was written by Sarangadeva. In the 14th century, the Assamese poet Madhava Kandali listed several instruments in his version of the "Ramayana," including tabal, jhajhar, dotara, vina, bīn, and vipanchi, showing these instruments existed by that time or earlier. Stone carvings of double-hand drums resembling the tabla date back to 500 BCE. The tabla was common across ancient India. A temple in Karnataka, the Hoysaleshwara temple, shows a carving of a woman playing the tabla during a dance performance.

According to the Natyashastra, an ancient Indian text on performing arts, the tabla is classified as an Avanadha Vadya, a type of rhythm instrument made by covering an empty vessel with stretched animal skin.

Construction and features

The tabla is made up of two small drums, each with one drumhead. These drums are slightly different in size and shape and are called baya and daya, with baya used for the left hand and daya for the right hand.

The smaller drum, called daya, is played with the right hand (the dominant hand). It is made from a cone-shaped piece of wood, mostly teak or rosewood, hollowed out to about half its depth. The daya drum is about 15 centimeters (6 inches) in diameter and 25 centimeters (10 inches) tall. It is tuned to a specific note, often the tonic, dominant, or subdominant of the soloist’s key, which helps support the melody. This note is called Sa, the tonic in Indian music. While the tuning range is limited, different sizes of daya drums produce different ranges. Cylindrical wood blocks, called Gatta, are placed between the strap and the drum shell to adjust tension. Fine-tuning is done by striking the braided part of the drumhead with a small, heavy hammer. A version of the tabla called tabla tarang may use 10–16 daya drums to play melodies based on multiple ragas.

The baya drum is larger and shaped like a kettle drum, about 20 centimeters (8 inches) in diameter and 25 centimeters (10 inches) tall. It is played with the left hand and is called baya, duggī, or dhāmā. It has a deep, bass-like tone similar to a kettle drum. Baya drums are made from various materials, including brass (most common), copper (more expensive but preferred), aluminum, steel, or wood (especially in older models from Punjab). Clay is sometimes used but is less durable and found mainly in northern Bengal. The baya drum is tuned about a fifth to an octave below the daya drum. During performances, the musician adjusts the pitch and tone by pressing the heel of their hand against the drum.

Each drum has a central area of "tuning paste" called syahi (also called shāī or gāb). Syahi is a common feature in many Indian drums. It is made by layering a paste of starch (from rice or wheat) mixed with black powder. The precise shaping of the syahi modifies the drum’s natural overtones, creating clear pitches and varied tones. This technique gives the tabla its unique, bell-like sound. The skill required to create syahi is highly advanced and determines the quality of the instrument. The earliest mention of syahi is found in the Hindu text Natyashastra.

To keep the drums stable during playing, each is placed on a donut-shaped bundle called chutta or guddi. These bundles are made of plant fibers or flexible materials wrapped in cloth. The tabla is typically played while sitting cross-legged on the floor.

Musical notation

Indian music has traditionally focused on practice and was taught through spoken instruction rather than written notes until the 20th century. The rules and songs of Indian music are passed from a teacher, called a guru, to a student, called a shishya, in person. Because of this, spoken notes for playing the tabla and its compositions are highly developed and precise. These spoken notes are made up of words that sound like the sounds they represent and are called bols.

Written notation is not considered essential and is not standardized. There is no single, universal system of written notes for the world to study Indian music. Two well-known systems for writing notation were created by Vishnu Digambar Paluskar and Vishnu Narayan Bhatkhande. These systems are named after their creators. Both systems use bols written in scripts like Latin or Devanagari. Differences between the systems include how they represent musical elements such as Taali, Khaali, Sum (the first beat in a rhythmic cycle), and Khand (divisions). Another difference is that the Vishnu Narayan Bhatkhande system uses numbers to show matras and beat measures, while the Vishnu Digambar Paluskar system uses more detailed symbols to show one matra, its parts, and combinations.

Basic strokes

Tabla's playing style and methods use many features from Pakhavaj and Mridangam, which are played sideways with the palms. The structure of these drums has similar parts: the smaller drum head of Pakhavaj for the dayan, the naqqara kettledrum for the bayan, and the use of the dholak's bass. Tabla is played from the top using "finger tip and hand percussive" techniques, allowing for more complex movements. The language of tabla is made up of combinations of basic strokes. These basic strokes are grouped into five major categories, with examples:

• Strokes played on the daya (right / treble drum): Na: The last two fingers of the right hand strike the edge of the syahi. Ta or Ra: The index finger strikes the rim sharply, while the ring finger gently presses the edge of the syahi to reduce the main sound. Tin: The last two fingers of the right hand lightly touch the syahi and strike the border between the syahi and the maidan. Te: The middle finger strikes the center of the syahi in Delhi gharana, or the middle, ring, and little fingers together strike the center in Varanasi style. Ti: The index finger strikes the center of the syahi (non resonant). Tun: The index finger strikes the center of the syahi to produce the main sound (resonant). TheRe: The palm strikes the syahi.
• Strokes played on the baya (left / bass drum): Ghe: The wrist is held down, and the middle and ring fingers strike the maidan (resonant). Ga: The index finger strikes. Ka, Ke, or Kat: The flat palm and fingers strike (non resonant).
• Strokes played on both drums together: Dha: Combines Na and (Ga or Ghe). Dhin: Combines Tin and (Ga or Ghe).
• Strokes played one after another in order: Ti Re Ki Ta TaK = Ta + Ke.
• Strokes played as a flam: Ghran: Ge is immediately followed by Na. TriKe: Ti is immediately followed by Ke and Te.

Tabla talas

Tala refers to the rhythmic structure of a musical composition. It is made up of groups of matras, which are units of rhythm within a set time pattern. Talas are built from basic sounds called bols. A matra represents the number of beats in a rhythm. Talas can have between 3 and 108 matras and are played in repeated cycles. The first beat of each cycle is called Sum. This beat is often marked with a special symbol, such as "X." It is the most important beat in the cycle. Other important beats are shown by clapping, called Tali, while less emphasized parts, called Khali, are played more softly. In Vishnu Narayanan Bhatkhande notation, Khali is shown with a "O." Tali is often labeled with numbers to show its position in the rhythm. Different sections of a tala are called Vibhagas.

Three main speeds or layas are used when playing tabla talas: 1) Slow (vilambit) or half speed, 2) Medium (madhya) or standard speed, and 3) Fast (drut) or double speed. Other speeds are based on these, such as Aadi laya, where bols are played at one and a half times the medium speed. Other examples include Ati Ati drut laya, which is a very fast speed. Modern tabla players also use beats per minute to measure tempo.

There are many talas in Hindustani music. Teental, also called trital, is one of the most common talas played on the tabla. It has 16 matras and can be divided into four sections of four matras each. Teental can be played at both slow and fast speeds. Other talas, such as Dhamaar, Ek, Jhoomra, and Chau, are better suited for slow and medium speeds. Some talas, like Jhap and Rupak, work well at faster speeds. Popular talas in Hindustani classical music include:

Tabla Gharanas

Tabla gharanas helped create new bols, special ways of playing, styles of writing music, and patterns of beats. Gharanas helped keep these styles alive from one generation to the next. The earliest written records about gharanas date back to the early 1800s. Delhi Gharana is seen as the first and oldest traditional way of playing tabla. Its students helped create other gharanas. Each gharana has a few well-known players and teachers. They are given the titles "Pandit" for Hindu players and "Ustad" for Muslim players. Modern changes and easier travel have made the strict differences between gharanas less clear now.

• Delhi Gharana
• Lucknow Gharana
• Ajrada Gharana
• Farukhabad Gharana
• Benares Gharana
• Punjab Gharana

Kayda

A Kayda or Kaida is a type of Tabla composition. There are two main types of Tabla compositions: fixed (pre-written) and improvised (created during practice or performance). A rhythmic theme is introduced first, and this theme is used as a base to build the composition through improvisation or planned parts. The word "Kayda" comes from Arabic or Hindi and means "rule" or "a system of rules." The rules for playing a Kayda are detailed and require careful following. Only the specific rhythmic patterns (called bols) from the original theme, known as a Mukh, can be used. The Kayda form began in the Delhi Gharana of Tabla playing and has three important roles for Tabla players. The right-side drum (Dayan or Dagga) and left-side drum (Bayan or Tabla) are played together in sync to form a Kayda. Kaydas can be played in any Tala, but in most performances, Teental and its Kaydas are used frequently. However, in Talas like Dadra and Keherwa or in thekas like Bhajani, laggis are played instead of Kaydas. This is because these Talas and thekas are used for Semi-Classical and light music (such as Bhajans, Kirtans, and Thumris), not for Hindustani classical music. Different Gharanas have their own unique Kaydas.

Basic structure of a Kayda:

• Mukh – The basic rhythm pattern, called Mukh (meaning "face" of the Kayda). All the bols in the Kayda are based on this Mukh.
• Dohara – The repetition of the Mukh three times. "Dohara" means "to repeat."
• Adha Dohara – The repetition of the first part of the Mukh.
• Vishram – A short pause taken during the performance.
• Adha Vishram – The repetition of the pause introduced in Vishram.
• Palta – A variation of the bols from the Mukh. These variations are made only using the bols in the Mukh. Palta is a section of the Kayda. Unlike other parts, Palta is played only once and is not repeated.
• Tihai – A musical phrase played three times to reach the end of the rhythm cycle (Sam/Sum). It is the final part of the Kayda. The last part of the Mukh is played three times to end the Kayda.

Notable players

• Ustad Ahmed Jan Thirakwa
• Ustad Alla Rakha
• Pandit Kishan Maharaj
• Ustad Zakir Hussain
• Pandit Yogesh Shamsi
• Pandit Suresh Talwalkar
• Pandit Anindo Chatterjee
• Pandit Kumar Bose
• Pandit Nayan Ghosh
• Pandit Shubhankar Banerjee
• Pandit Swapan Chaudhuri