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Odisha Review ISSN 0970-8669

“Hail Thee, O’ preceptor, World is full of sounds i.e ‘nada’. In the You are the embodiment of the human heart the abounding sentiments only get Brahma, Vishnu & Maheswar : The Trinity. stretched to the voice and when this voice gets You are the Parambrahma-The non robustness it manifests as song in a broader sense, differentiate Supreme Spirit. the muse. A thesis on music, ‘Sangeeta Ratnakar’ To you, all my obeisance & surrender.” says thus as the source of 'nada' or sound, when innermost self gets impatient to express, it inspires Introduction: the mind, the mind to fire in the body, fire to the In the whole of universal creation, man is air and this air creates power. This power strikes held as the best of it. As because he has been the permanent knot. This air makes sound through striving to express his minutest feelings of mind five outlets i.e to naval, heart, throat, head and through various means from the very beginning of mouth. Thus created sound or tone manifests tunes the civilization. Hence, literature, music, painting, which we call music. In the epic “Shreemad fine arts etc have taken definite shape and form Bhagabata” the Lord says “O, Narad ! I don’t

The Role of Rhythm, Rhythmic Instrument and the Instrumentalist in the realm of Music : Hindustani Classical etc.

Sushil Kumar Patnaik

through human effort to bring glorification to its dwell in Vaikuntha or paradise, neither in the existence. Notwithstanding this the supplication hearts of Yogis, but I do reside there where my for truth-prosperity and beauty i.e “satya, shiba, devotees sing to my praises.” sundar” has been the main force to his supreme contemplative emotional impetus. That which It is also said, Brahma the creator creates paves the way to realization of the much sought musical instruments from “ Rig Vedas”, dramatic after four aims of human life i.e righteousness, representation from “Yajur Veda”, the essence of property, lust and salvation is propounded in our poetic sentiments from “Sama Veda” which philosophy. Hence, the seer announces ‘it is the constituted authoritative treatise of music, the art which emancipates, i.e.'sa kala ja bimuktaye'. musicology came into being. This scripture bears Therefore, it is quite obvious to behold the art the elements of panacea to all sorrows, distress, spreading itself in atoms, matters throbbing and despair, grief and pangs of separation. Thus bliss still as well as flora and fauna. supreme i.e Brahmanada is finally obtained.

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Hence, the player of musical instruments These are of 4 categories: i.e supplicates with this - the sentimental supremacy a) Tat (Instruments with strings)- veena, sitar, which is manifested in dance, specialty of dance sarangi, sarod, and behela etc. with musical instruments and instruments adhering b) Sushir (instruments played by putting air)- to beats i.e. 'Tabla'. Therefore I salute to beats banshee, flute, Sehnai, Mahuree, cornet, clarionet i.e music supreme everyday. etc. Various opinions are floated to the origins c) Ghana (instruments made of metals)- of Tabla. It is said, “the threesome elements, i.e ghanta, manjira and jhanja. song beating instruments and the dance and their intermingling constitutes the music perfect. The d) Abanaddha (instruments wrapped with hydes)- tabla, dholak, mrudanga, pakhauja, presiding deity of music is Mother Saraswati, the mardala, khanjani etc. goddess of learning. Of all these instruments the prime A rare devotee, the saint RamaKrishna importance is given to Tabla. It is said, “without Paramhansa pronounced the greatness of music Tabla no music becomes perfect or established. with the following words. "Blessed the pious soul This word has the verbal root “tal” after having who drinks the nectar of sweet musical notes the suffix “ghajna” becomes tabla. Tal denotes which have been churned out of the Vedas, which installation. That by which music is installed or removes impurities of mind, which is a sovereign positioned is Tal. The time used in music is remedy to cure all diseases of worldly existence measured by Tal. Our ancient music system and can transform man into a better citizen. It is contained hundreds of Tals. But as time passed priceless treasure." Needless to say, music on now only 10-12 are being used and practised. therapy is in vogue now a days in native as well How Tabla Originated ? as foreign countries. Indian classical music is divided into 2 Teacher- taught tradition: schools. One is North Indian music or Hindustani The pious relationship of preceptor- music and the other is South Indian music or disciple emanates in this life and life after. As we Karnatic music. In Hindustani music tabla and pakhauja are taken as rhythmic instruments. But know this bonding of teacher-pupil had been the prominence is given to tabla. Some exponent regarded eternally sacred and the pupil had been mathematicians of tabla scripture like Dr. Lakshmi taking it not only customary but duty bound to Narayan Garg is of the opinion that both tabla surrender himself to his Guru and was mentally and harmonium are foreign instruments. As is prepared to render any service to him. This father known the Sedang instrument of China invoked and son relationship is found waning today for Europeans to make harmonium in 1810 A.D. which practice and penance to reach perfection which found its way to India afterwards. Dr. Garg in music is being seriously thwarted. This state of says the advent of tabla is of the same period affairs will spell doom if it is left to continue. Now which was then called “Atabal”. The French name let us come to musical instruments. tabal is now tabla in Hindustani.

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The opinion that tabla instrument te te these 2 notes which are being played originated from splitting pakhauja into 2 has been by the finger on tabla also play ‘tere’ with the widely accepted until Jogmaya Shukla and Kishen same finger and at the same surface- place. But Maharaj put a dispute to it as only wishful. But how this occurs ? This is done only by the trick Thakur Jaydev Singh holds that tabla was in vogue of hand which needs constant practice. Te Te is in ancient India and so this should be accepted as by giving weight and Te Re by touching lightly only Indian even though tabla is a derivation of and rapidly. The case is exactly with TA and NA. tabal. Again the professor of Abannadha Vadya These are the special knowledge of teacher’s of Indian art and music university of khairagarh, school which is learnt with firm attendance to the Pandit Harishchandra Shreevastav propounds service of the teacher. Likewise NA is a negative that the origin of tabla may be of more than 350 note while TA is a positive note for which it is in years hence which was of more useful to Kheyal Dhaa, TA is being used. So it is “GE + TA = rendering and to playing of sitar. Later on it was DHAA and TING + GHA = DHING. accepted as an unitary instrument and became Importance of Tal (beats) in Tabla: popular. According to him tabla though bears the influence of pakhauja, has become one in itself. In Kheyal playing pakhauja has been replaced with tabla for convenience. Therefore Another view testifies the origin of tabla with the ‘bol’ of tabla trital, jhamptal, rupak, ektal, from a beat note called “Samval” which has a dadra and kahrwa tals are formulated. “Sabda dual note of nagara (drum). A group of musicians Kalpa druma”, the famous Lexicon pronounces:” provide a connotation for tabla as “tab- bhi-bola” origins of musical instruments are from Tal without which means tabla came into being after splitting which songs are bereft of beauty or splendor. of an abaannadha instrument. Many other musicians are of opinion that since the famous TA is known as male and LA is known pakhauja player Ustad Sudhir Khan Dhadi is as female. TA emanated from Lord Shiva’s regarded as the initiator of tabla . it is very likely “Tandav” dance and LA is from mother Parvati’s that tabla came from splitting of pakhauja. With graceful motion. Bhagban Das’s opinion one tends to believe in Role of theka (stress of the tip of the finger) this theory. After all now as it stands more in music: research in this matter has become a challenge to “Theka” of every tal is not appropriate musicians young and enthusiastic. note for every song as it is not suitable for Voice (Vanee) of the tabla: a few instances- invocation of proper emotional content and flavor. a) 10 note sequence are created for tabla, Therefore theka is to be chosen while listening to i.e (with left hand) (1) ka- ke- kat (2) ge (3) ghe. the music. Hence the beat notes of dhumali, trital, (With right hand) (4) ta bana (5) tin (6) tun or din adha and kaharwa can be changed at the time of (7) te (8) te or re (with both hands) (9) ta+ ge= playing. The player has to choose the variation dhaa (10) tin + ghe =dhin other dual notes by himself to the tunes of song or music. This is sequences are -kredhe tete, kredhaan, kraan, important and more pertaining to the song dhaa kede, treke, dhere kete, dinged dina etc. sequences in cinema.

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Schools (Gharana) of Abannadha Abid Hussain, Ustad Mune Khan, Ustad instruments with special variations: Ujid Hussain are considered as the After introduction of tabla as a musical master tabla players of this gharana. instrument different schools established different f) Farukkabad gharana: An interesting story modes or patterns in playing. We may not agree has been floated which highlighted the to the opinion that tabla has been introduced by speciality of this gharana. When the Ustad Sudhar Khan Dhadi but that he is the daughter of Ustad Bakshu Khan was creator of Delhi school is indisputable. given in marriage to Ustad Vilayat Ali a) The notes like dha ti, te te. Ti dha, tirkit Khan of Farukkabad, he passed some are special. With this gharana the index tricks of this gharana to his son in laws as finger with the middle one are more used dowry. Ustad, therefore, brought the in this gharna. Peskar, rela, kayda name of Farukkabad school to be known patterns are more important in this school. and counted. Ustad Sallari Khan and Ustad Imam Bux were the prominent b) The Ajrada gharana: the disciples of Ustad players of this gharana. Sitab Khan, the brothers Kallu Khan & Miru Khan were residing in the village Impact and Influence of ‘Taal’ in music: ‘Ajrada’ of the district of Meerut. Ustad It is quite evident that 'taal' do play a Mohammad Bux of their generation was pivotal role in every kind of music oral or the famous tabla player. His son Mian instrumental. Singers, instrumental players and Chand Khan and grandson Ustad Kale dancers positively feel the essentiality of taal. Khan were two exponent players of this ghrana in which Dugi, the left part of Tabla This taal is vital to our body or the very is prominent. life. Take for example, our heart. Prescribed rate of its vibration is 72 times per minute. Any c) The Punjab gharana: by stopping open disorder less or more in it spells danger and heart note beats of pakhauja, a new style of trouble starts to our serious concern which lands playing was introduced in this gharana. us in expensive hospitals. Unstoppable serious Ustad Allar Khan Saheb is the famous trouble in restoring this taal to order is sure to player of this gharana. bring closure to the chapter of our lives. This is d) Banaras gharana: the ‘bol’ is open and also related to blood circulation in our body very stressful in this gharanas. The influence much. Any mistake in this taal causes dislocation of pakhauja is quite evident here. These of limbs and failure to achieve our goal. In nature open playing styles and stressful beats are this taal is better found in sunrise and sunset. What the hallmark of this gharana. Pandit is music ? It is either song with rhythm or rhythm Kanthe Maharaj, Pt. Kishen Maharaj are with dance. But dance with song without rhythm famous tabla players of this gharana. can’t be noted as music the same is with song e) Lucknow gharana: this school is found without rhythm which does not attract spectators being quite impacted by the Banaras or listeners. Again neither the singer nor the dancer gharana with some little variations. Ustad will be enthused without rhythm accompaniment.

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Therefore, the main source of inspiration lies with own usage. Some examples of the notations in the rhythm. Taal is regarded as father and tune is the Odissi ‘taal’: Taal: regarded as mother. For example- the boatman 1) ‘Ektaali’ (kaharwa) : ‘matra’-4, ‘bhaga’-l, ferrying his boat in a full flooded river controls ‘taali’-l, gap (phanka)- nil, chhanda- 4/4/ and regulates the course by himself. Any mistake may cause trouble. The same role is played by ‘dharana’, (theka)- ta, - tin, na terekete, the rhythm player in music. taktini/ ta Importance as well as prominence of 2) ‘Khemata’ (Dadra) : ‘matra’-6, ‘bhaga’- rhythm is also recognized in our national level. 2, ‘taali’-l, khali-1 (of 4 matras), chhanda- When statesman or great patriot dies our A.l.R 3+3 and Doordarshan stops all kinds of rhythm in ‘dharana’- (theka)- dhaa dhina kitaa/ naa cultural programmes. Sitar, flute, violin or Sarangi tinaa kitaa / dha are played without rhythm and Bhajanas recited likewise. This unmistakably proves that rhythm is 3) ‘Tripata’ (Rupaka) : ‘matra’-7, ‘bhaga’- vital force of all kinds of music without which music 3, ‘taali’-3, khali (phanka)- nil, chhanda-3+3 is lifeless and dull. We should not forget the role ‘dharana’, (theka)- dhei tathin dak/ tathin of bugle playing with drum beating at the time of dak/ tathin dak/ dhei war, soldiers and student- cadets do march with drum beats. 4) Jhampa (Jhamptaal) : ‘matra’-10, ‘bhaga’- 4, ‘taali’-3 (1+3+8), khali-6, chhanda- Peculiarity of Tal in Odissi song and dance: 2+3+2+3 Odissi form of either song or dance has a ‘dharana’, (theka)- dhati Naam/ dhag dhati different tenor than that of Hindustani or Karnatic. Naam/ naati naam/ dhagdhatinaam/dha The Taal or rhythmic notes in this system is not only special but quite excellent. As of the subtelity 5) Kuduka (chautal): ‘matra’-12, ‘bhaga’-6, in Odissi dance and emotional flavor in songs the ‘taali’-4(l,5,9,ll), khali- 2 (3,7), chhanda-2 Taal is full of emotions along with the meter. The + 2+2+2+2+2, role of theka or stress of the tip of finger in rhythm ‘dharana’ (theka)- accompaniment in Odissi creates such thrill so as dha kadtak/ tin daa/ kadtak dhaa/ tin daa/ makes one feel the dancing footsteps of the kadtak dhinaa/ kita tak/ dha dancers as if ‘radha’ going to collect water from Yamuna river with a pitcher. 6) Adataali : ‘matra’-14, ‘bhaga’-4, ‘taali’-3 Specialty of Taal in Odissi: (1,5,12), khali -1 (8), chhanda-4+3+4+3 These are the mostly used Taal in Odishi, ‘dharana’(theka)- such as ektali, aadital, jatital,sariman, kuduka, ata, dhaa dhaa dhina/ dhaa dhi na/ Naa naa ti jhampa, mathaa, tripata, rupaka and khemata. naa/ dha dhi naa/dha In this ‘taals’ suffixing elements 7) Aditaala (Tintaal) : ‘matra’-16, ‘bhaga’- of’anshaa’, ‘ukuta’, ‘dharana’, ‘bhaga or anga’, 4, ‘taali’-3 (1,5,13), khali- 9, chhanda- ‘chhanda’, ‘muktai’, and ‘maara’ etc have their 4+4+4+4,

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‘dharana’(tehka): types of behavior are to be observed closely. dha dhi naa kitaa dhini/ dhaa dhi naa kita These constitute the primary data. dhini/ naa tina kitaa tini/ taa dhina kita dhini/ Data are also collected secondary dhaa sources. The secondary sources of data are the Hence, likewise above Taals of Rupaka, available published books on impact on musical rhythm on mentally retarded children. Data from Mathaa, Jati and Sarimaan etc are of self primary sources are also collected through survey contained notes. research where the techniques of interview and Role of rhythm player in music: schedule are to be used. The sentimental sensibility is the essence Area of Study and Sample Coverage: of a song recital. One may become a teacher The study has been confined to mentally through practice. But with practice it is not retarded children undertaking studies at Open possible to express inherent sentimental sensibility Learning systems, Chandrasekharpur, in song recitals. Here comes the rhythm player in Bhubaneswar. handy. If the rhythm player fails to cope with the Taal or put faulty notes to the tunes the singer Interview Schedule: either fails or likely to do so in his rendering. Then The interview schedule is the primary the whole fabric of music becomes jumbled up method for eliciting information on mental and the and loose proper purpose. Therefore, in case of response to musical retarded children graded song recital the rhythm player acts as the guide properly and the response to musical rhythm on and milestone to the songster, a beacon light as if their behavior, attentiveness, interest, memory. to the seafarer. But then, alas ! The player of the rhythm always remains in shadows and the song Data analysis: or other instruments player becomes hallowed. After collection of data, an elaborate code Research design and method of study : is to be prepared and the data are to be posted in the code sheet. Then the data will be tabulated The study is to be taken up on mentally and analyzed. retarded children from the open learning systems -a voluntary organization dedicated to the cause Conclusion: of children. A survey method has been used. Tabla is such a rhythm playing instrument Empirical analysis will be made on data of musical in which the subleties of 'uthan', ‘peskar’, tukuda’, rhythm on mentally retarded children, ‘kayda’, ‘tripalli’, 'chaupalli' of classical music are administered to them regularly. The interview played with aplomb aswell as with light, folk, pop schedule was recorded for each of the songs, cinematic and western mode of songs. The respondents. Observation of the retarded children sound of running train, horse hooves while riding, by closest persons like parents, music teachers, train passing through tunnel and the tunes of seven class teachers and close attendants are to be taken accents or notes of musical scale etc are being into consideration. The changes in mood, played with effect in tabla now a days. Even activities, state of mind, play, response and other placing and playing 12 tablas at a time to the tune

40 FEBRUARY-MARCH - 2019 Odisha Review ISSN 0970-8669 has become possible. If dhaa dhin can be of rhythm always stand steadfast to make all measured to the frequency of voice, then like musicians get rid of the fear of Taal. harmonium playing of tabla would be facilitating. “ Let all be happy, Our musical tradition is not only great but All be free from diseases, it has the legacy of many devotees of music and All see to the gentle side of things. song like Tulsi Das, Mira Bai, Sur Das, Thyagraj, Let there be no sorrow or sufferings. Nandanaar Purandar Das, Hari Das, Dikshitar, Bule Shah, Shah Abdul Latif. Their time honoured Om ! Shantih, Shantih, Shantih, song renderings have crossed all boundaries of Let all peace prevails.”. caste and creed and created such melodious outpourings of human heart that these enthrall millions till today. The declaration “Basudheiba Kutumbakam” i.e “Whole earth is one family” that emanates from this glorious tradition may guide us to acquire a much wider perspective in music Sushil Kumar Patnaik, Head of Department of Music, as well as rhythmic presentations. Let the player Rama Devi Women's University, Bhubaneswar.

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