Ata Tala

अट ताल

Sanskrita · ṭa taa · la

ṭ ḍ — t and d with the tongue tip curled back
aa ee oo ē ō — long vowels: hold them twice as long

Suladi tala of two laghus and two drutams — usually fourteen beats

RhythmBharatanatyamKuchipudiMohiniyattam

Meaning

Ata is made of two laghus followed by two drutams. Its usual form is khanda jati, giving fourteen beats (5 + 5 + 2 + 2). It is a long, stately cycle met in some varnams.

Also written: ata talam, atta tala, ata

Sources

Related words

Varnamवर्णम्The centrepiece — the longest and most demanding item.TalaतालThe rhythmic cycle a piece is set in.Khanda Jatiखण्ड जातिThe five-count class — sets the laghu at 5 beats LaghuलघुThe variable part of a tala — a clap followed by finger counts Drutamद्रुतम्The two-beat tala limb — a clap and a wave Sollukattuசொல்லுக்கட்டுThe spoken rhythmic syllables dancers move to.

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