Dhamar is a fourteen-beat taal with an idiosyncratic grouping of 5 + 2 + 3 + 4. It belongs to the austere, ancient world of dhrupad — specifically to the dhamar song-form, whose texts often celebrate Holi and the play of Krishna.
Played on the pakhawaj rather than the tabla, its theka has a grand, rolling weight, and its asymmetry rewards sophisticated layakari.
Dhamar is closely paired with chautal, the other great dhrupad cycle; together they define the rhythmic character of dhrupad.