Glossary · glossary · 1 min read
Matla
मतला; the opening couplet of a ghazal
The matla is the opening couplet, or pair of lines, of a ghazal, a poem built from self-contained couplets linked by rhyme and rhythm. You hear it at the start of a sung ghazal, where singers often repeat it to establish the melody.
By John, Music lover from Bangalore · Reviewed by BRR · Last reviewed 29 Sept 2026
Matla
A ghazal is poetry built from self-contained couplets, or pairs of lines, joined by rhyme and a shared pattern of length and rhythm. A couplet is also called a sher. The opening couplet is the matla.
In the matla, both lines end with the radif, the repeated refrain. Just before that refrain comes the qafia, the rhyme. Together, they set the pattern you will listen for as the ghazal continues.
In Ranjish Hi Sahi, both lines of the opening couplet end in “aa jaao”. That opening couplet is the matla.
Where you will hear it
You will hear it at the start of a ghazal performance. A ghazal is poetry built from self-contained couplets, or pairs of lines, linked by rhyme and a shared rhythm and line length. The matla, its opening couplet, is often sung several times to fix the melody before the singer moves on.
In the ghazal Ranjish Hi Sahi, the opening couplet ending in “aa jaao” is the matla. Those words give you something to listen for as the performance moves from the opening into later couplets.
Keep going
- What is a ghazal? Structure explained with two BeatRootRaga originals · A ghazal is poetry built from self-contained couplets, or pairs of lines, joined by rhyme and a shared pattern of line length and rhythm. When sung, a returning melody connects the couplets, while repeated lines, melodic changes and pauses give listeners time to hear the meaning.