Kalam
कालSanskritSay it: kaa · la
- aa ee oo ē ō — long vowels: hold them twice as long
Speed level — first, second and third speed within the same tala
RhythmBharatanatyamKuchipudiMohiniyattam
Meaning
Kalam is the speed at which a phrase is performed against a steady tala. Moving to the second kalam doubles the number of syllables per beat, and the third doubles it again. Dancers practise adavus in all three speeds.
Also written: kala, kaalam, kaala, speed