Dadra: the 6-beat taal

Dadra taal

Count “one, two, three | four, five, six”, then start again. That is the basic shape of dadra taal. A taal is a repeating rhythmic cycle. Dadra has six matras, or beats, arranged as 3 + 3.

Each group of three is a vibhag, a division of the cycle. Beat 1 is sam, the cycle’s starting beat, marked with a clap. Beat 4 marks khali, the “empty” division, shown with a wave.

The theka, or basic drum pattern, is “dha dhin na | dha tin na”. Dadra often moves at a slow or medium tempo, with a lilting feel.

Counting dadra with claps and waves

Beat 1 is sam, the first beat of the cycle. Its clap is called tali. After beat 6, return straight to 1 and begin the same pattern again.

The wave on beat 4 marks khali, the “empty” section. Empty does not mean silent: this second group uses closed strokes.

The theka of dadra

Now put drum syllables to that count. A theka is the basic stroke pattern of a taal, a repeating rhythmic cycle. Dadra’s theka is dha dhin na | dha tin na. Each syllable falls on one beat.

The dividing line separates the two vibhags, or sections of the cycle. Both begin with dha, but dhin in the first becomes tin in the second. The second section is khali, marked by a wave rather than a clap, and uses closed strokes.

How dadra differs from keherwa

Now compare that six-beat count with keherwa. A taal is a repeating rhythmic cycle: dadra returns to beat 1 after six beats, while keherwa returns after eight. Listen for that return rather than judging by the song’s pace alone.

• Dadra: count 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6. Clap on 1 and wave on 4. Its two groups each hold three beats.
• Keherwa: count 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8. Clap on 1 and wave on 5.

Is dadra the same as 6/8 or 3/4

Count “one two three, four five six,” with a clap on one and a wave on four. Dadra’s feel can be close to Western 6/8, or a slow 3/4 counted in two groups of three. That resemblance is a listening aid, not a reason to treat them as identical.

Dadra is a taal, a repeating rhythmic cycle, with two vibhags, or divisions, of three beats each. The second division begins with khali, the “empty” part marked by a wave. This group is played with closed strokes, so listen beyond the count to how the two halves sound.

Kinds of song that use dadra

You can hear dadra in thumri, ghazal and bhajan songs, as well as folk and film songs. It is a light taal, meaning a repeating rhythmic cycle, often played at a medium or slow tempo with a lilting feel.

Treat those song types as places to listen for dadra, rather than proof that a song uses it. The six-beat cycle is your guide. A slow pace or a lilting feel alone does not tell you which cycle you are hearing.

Dadra as a taal and a song form

There is one more distinction to keep in mind: dadra names both a taal, a repeating rhythmic cycle, and a song form. The cycle tells you how the beats repeat. The form tells you what kind of song you are hearing.

As a song form, dadra is a light classical kind of song from the Uttar Pradesh region. It is usually set in dadra taal. The two meanings are connected, but they are not interchangeable.