Dhamar tala

Dhamar (Sanskrit धमार) is one
of the talas used in Hindustani
classical music . It is associated
with the dhrupad style and
typically played on the pakhawaj .
Dhamar tala has 14 beats
(matras) grouped asymmetrically
into a 5-2-3-4 pattern.
A song in dhrupad style set to
dhamar tala is also called a
dhamar. The text of a dhamar
concerns the antics of Krishna
teasing the milkmaids during the
Holi (hori) Spring Festival of
colours. It is considered a
relatively light and romantic
musical form.
The theka or syllabic pattern of
dhamar tala is:
1 2 3 4
5 6 7 8
9 10 11 12
13 14
क ध्धि ट
धि ट
धा ऽ क
त्ति ट
ति ट ता ऽ
ka ddhi Ta dhi
Ta dhaa - Ga
Di na Di Na
taa -
In counting out the beat, beats 1,
6, and 11 are clapped (tali), and
beat 8 is indicated by a wave of
the hand (khali):
Clap 2 3 4 5 | Clap 2 | Wave 2 3
| Clap 2 3 4 ||