A taal (or tala) is the rhythmic backbone of South Asian classical music. While a raag organises melody, a taal organises time. It is a cyclic pattern of beats grouped into vibhags (divisions), with specific beats receiving stress (tali) and others being silent (khali).
A taal is identified by three things: the total number of beats in a cycle (matra), the way they are divided into vibhags, and the bol patterns played on tabla or pakhawaj that articulate the structure. The first beat of every cycle is called sam — the resolution point that both melody and rhythm return to.
Common Hindustani taals include Teen Taal (16 beats, 4+4+4+4), Ek Taal (12 beats, 2+2+2+2+2+2), Jhap Taal (10 beats, 2+3+2+3), and Rupak (7 beats, 3+2+2). Each carries its own character and is paired with particular tempos and compositional forms.
Performance practice involves not just keeping time but elaborating against it — tihais, layas, and rhythmic puzzles called tukras unfold across the cycle. The interplay between soloist and tabla player, returning together to sam after extended improvisation, is one of the most thrilling moments in a concert.