Fundamental of Ancient Indian Music and Dance

Author(s): Sureshchandra Benarji
Publisher: L D Indology Ahmedabad

Page 60

Tala
Tālas are again twofold-caturaśra and tryaśra. known respectively as caccatpuța and cacaputa. Satpitaputraka is a variety of tryaśra which has another one called Udghatta. Salpita putraka is also designated as Uttara and Pañcapāņi, Laya, Yati
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The pause, intervening between talas or strokes which determine the time of matras, is called laya. Kallinatha makes the concept of laya clear. He says that if one action follows another without cessation, there is no rest or pause; so, there is no laya in such a case. For example, there is no separate laya between laghu mātrās which exist as parts of two guru mātrās. Again, there is no separate laya between laghu mātrās which form parts of pluta mātrā.
Laya is threefold-druta (swift), madhya (medium) and vilambita (delayed).
The mode of application of laya is called yati. Yati is of three kinds-sama, srotogata and gopuccha. Sama takes place when there is uniformity of laya in the beginning,. middle and end Srotogata arises when vilambita, madhya and druta layas are used respectively in the beginning, middle and end. That is gopuccha which resorts to druta, madhya and vilambita layas.1
1 There are also other varieties of each of the three kinds of yati.