Musical Forms and Compositions: Khayal, Dhrupad, Tarana, Bhajan and Bihar Folk Forms
What the exam tests
This domain asks you to distinguish dhrupad, khayal, tarana and bhajan, and to name folk forms of Bihar with their occasions.
Core rules
- Dhrupad: oldest surviving classical form; four parts sthai, antara, sanchari, abhog; pakhavaj; slow, grave alaap; devotional or heroic texts.
- Khayal: two main parts sthai and antara; tabla; improvisation through alaap, taan and bol-bant; bada khayal is vilambit, chhota khayal is drut.
- Tarana: fast composition using rhythmic syllables such as tanana, dere na, tom, yalali; no literal meaning.
- Bhajan: devotional song; simple raga and tala; harmonium, tabla, dholak, manjira; saints such as Kabir, Surdas and Tulsidas.
- Bihar folk: Sohar (childbirth), Kajari (rainy season and separation), Chhath songs (Chhath festival), Jhijhiya (women's ritual dance/song), Jat-Jatin (Mithila), Bidesia (Bhikari Thakur; migration), Paika (martial), Domkach.
Worked example
A drut composition has only syllables dhere na, tom, tanana and follows a khayal in Teentaal. Identify it. Reasoning: the text has no meaning; the tempo is fast; the syllables are rhythmic. It is tarana, not bhajan (which has devotional words) and not dhrupad (which has four named sections and pakhavaj).
Traps
- Giving khayal four parts like dhrupad.
- Calling tarana a folk song.
- Mixing Sohar (birth) with Chhath (festival).
- Attributing Bidesia to Kajari.