Sapta Tala Alankara (One Speed Only) MCQs Quiz | Class 9

Practice this Class IX Carnatic Music (Vocal) Code 031 Practical Unit I quiz focusing on Sapta Tala Alankaras. This set covers the seven principal talas and their structures, strictly adhering to the one speed (Prathama Kala) format as other speeds are excluded. Test your understanding of Angas, Aksharas, and Jatis, then submit to check your score and download the PDF answer sheet.

Overview of Sapta Tala Alankaras

In Carnatic Music (Code 031), the Sapta Talas form the basis of rhythm training. Alankaras are musical exercises composed in these seven talas to help students master rhythm and swara positions. For Class IX Practical Unit I, the focus is strictly on the first speed (Prathama Kala), where one swara is sung per beat.

The Seven Talas and Structures

Understanding the Angas (parts or limbs) of each tala is crucial. The three main Angas used in Sapta Talas are:

  • Laghu (I): A beat and finger counts. Duration depends on Jati.
  • Drutam (0): A beat and a wave. Constant duration of 2 aksharas.
  • Anudrutam (U): A single beat. Constant duration of 1 akshara.
Tala Name Anga Structure Symbol
Dhruva Laghu, Drutam, Laghu, Laghu I 0 I I
Matya Laghu, Drutam, Laghu I 0 I
Rupaka Drutam, Laghu 0 I
Jhampa Laghu, Anudrutam, Drutam I U 0
Triputa Laghu, Drutam, Drutam I 0 0
Ata Laghu, Laghu, Drutam, Drutam I I 0 0
Eka Laghu I

Key Concepts

One Speed (Prathama Kala): In this speed, each unit of time (akshara) carries exactly one note. This establishes the fundamental stability of the rhythm.

Jati: The class or type of Laghu. It determines the count of the Laghu (e.g., Tisra = 3, Chaturashra = 4, Khanda = 5, Mishra = 7, Sankeerna = 9).

Practice Questions

  • What is the akshara count of Khanda Jati Ata Tala? (Answer: 14)
  • Which tala starts with a Drutam? (Answer: Rupaka)
  • Which tala has only one Anga? (Answer: Eka)
  • How many Drutams are in Dhruva Tala? (Answer: 1)
  • What is the symbol for Anudrutam? (Answer: U)