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BSEH SS Tabla study materials
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BSEH SS Tabla practice questions

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Question 1Origin and Evolution of Tabla

According to the most widely accepted traditional account, which pair of instruments did Amir Khusrau devise by splitting the mridang, and which one is regarded as the ancestor of the tabla?

  1. Tabla and dholak, with the dholak as the ancestor
  2. Tabla and pakhawaj, with the tabla as the ancestor
  3. Tabla and mridang, with the tabla as the ancestor Correct answer.
  4. Tabla and duff, with the duff as the ancestor

Explanation

The Khusrau legend holds that the single-barrelled mridang was divided into two drums, producing the tabla and its bass partner. In this account the tabla itself is treated as the descendant of the split mridang, while the pakhawaj is understood to have developed along a separate northern path.

Question 2Origin and Evolution of Tabla

Which thirteenth-century poet-musician at the Delhi Sultanate court is traditionally credited with inventing the tabla?

  1. Amir Khusrau Correct answer.
  2. Tansen
  3. Baiju Bawra
  4. Sadarang

Explanation

Amir Khusrau, associated with the court of the Delhi Sultanate, is the figure most often named in the traditional origin story of the tabla. The attribution is legend rather than documented fact, but it is the standard starting point in tabla history teaching.

Question 3Origin and Evolution of Tabla

The tabla's bass drum is known by several regional names. Which of the following is a standard name for that left-hand drum?

  1. Duggi
  2. Dagga
  3. Bayan Correct answer.
  4. Dhamma

Explanation

The bass drum of the tabla pair is commonly called the bayan, a term suggesting its larger size relative to the treble drum. It is played with the palm and wrist to produce the bending, resonant bass strokes.

Question 4Origin and Evolution of Tabla

Which statement best describes the physical construction of the tabla pair as it is understood in the classical Hindustani tradition?

  1. Two single-headed drums, one treble and one bass, lashed with leather braces over a wooden shell Correct answer.
  2. Two double-headed barrel drums played together as one instrument
  3. A pair of kettledrums with the heads tuned by screws
  4. A single frame drum with jingles attached to the rim

Explanation

The tabla pair consists of a smaller treble drum and a larger bass drum, each with a single playing head stretched over a wooden shell. Leather braces run down the shell and are tapped with a hammer to tune the head, which carries a black central patch.

Question 5Origin and Evolution of Tabla

The black circular patch applied to the centre of a tabla head is known as:

  1. Syahi Correct answer.
  2. Chanti
  3. Pudi
  4. Gajra

Explanation

The syahi is the dark paste patch at the centre of the head, made from materials such as iron oxide and rice paste. It adds mass and damping, giving the drum its characteristic pitched, resonant tone.

Question 6Origin and Evolution of Tabla

Which older barrel drum is generally regarded as the closest northern ancestor of the tabla in terms of repertoire and playing technique?

  1. Pakhawaj Correct answer.
  2. Nagara
  3. Dholak
  4. Mridang

Explanation

The pakhawaj shares with the tabla a vocabulary of bols, a similar compositional repertoire, and a comparable playing-hand approach. Many tabla compositions are understood to have been adapted from the pakhawaj tradition, making it the closest northern relative.

Question 7Origin and Evolution of Tabla

The traditional account that Amir Khusrau invented the tabla is treated by modern scholars as:

  1. A legend with no contemporary documentary evidence Correct answer.
  2. A colonial-era invention with no Indian source
  3. A documented historical fact recorded in court chronicles
  4. A claim first made by Tansen in the Mughal court

Explanation

No contemporary source from Khusrau's own period describes the tabla, and the instrument's form appears to have developed over centuries. Scholars therefore treat the Khusrau attribution as a popular legend that reflects cultural pride rather than documented history.

Question 8Origin and Evolution of Tabla

Which structural feature most clearly distinguishes the tabla pair from the pakhawaj?

  1. The tabla pair is played only with sticks, while the pakhawaj is played by hand
  2. The tabla pair has no syahi, while the pakhawaj does
  3. The tabla pair is tuned with screws, while the pakhawaj is laced
  4. The tabla pair uses two separate single-headed drums, while the pakhawaj is one double-headed barrel drum Correct answer.

Explanation

The defining structural difference is that the tabla is a pair of separate single-headed drums, whereas the pakhawaj is a single double-headed barrel drum. Both are laced and both use syahi, and both are played by hand.

Question 9Origin and Evolution of Tabla

The tabla's rise to prominence as a solo and accompaniment instrument is most closely associated with which historical period and setting?

  1. The ancient Tamil Sangam period
  2. The Vedic period and its ritual chants
  3. The British colonial period and the spread of gramophone recording alone
  4. The Mughal and post-Mughal courts and the growth of khayal Correct answer.

Explanation

The tabla became central to Hindustani music during the Mughal era and afterwards, as khayal singing and instrumental music expanded and required a flexible accompanying drum. Court patronage and the later concert tradition consolidated its position.

Question 10Origin and Evolution of Tabla

In the traditional narrative, the tabla is said to have been created by dividing which instrument?

  1. The damaru
  2. The pakhawaj
  3. The dhol
  4. The mridang Correct answer.

Explanation

The legend describes the mridang, a single barrel drum, being cut into two halves that became the tabla and its bass partner. This story explains the tabla's two-drum format in symbolic terms.

Question 11Origin and Evolution of Tabla

Which term refers to the leather braces that run down the shell of a tabla and are tapped to adjust the pitch?

  1. Bira Correct answer.
  2. Chanti
  3. Tasma
  4. Gatta

Explanation

The bira are the leather laces or braces running from the head down the shell, and tapping them with a hammer adjusts the tension and thus the pitch. This tuning method is shared with other laced Indian drums.

Question 12Origin and Evolution of Tabla

The tabla's development is often linked to the emergence of which vocal form, for which it became the principal accompanying drum?

  1. Dhrupad
  2. Tarana
  3. Thumri
  4. Khayal Correct answer.

Explanation

Khayal, which rose to prominence from the Mughal period onward, is most closely associated with tabla accompaniment. Its flexible, ornamented melodic style suited the tabla's range of strokes and its capacity for subtle rhythmic support.

Question 13Origin and Evolution of Tabla

Which of the following best explains why the tabla could produce a clear pitched tone while older barrel drums such as the pakhawaj gave a more open, less defined pitch?

  1. The tabla's smaller head and central syahi produce a more focused, tuned resonance Correct answer.
  2. The tabla is struck with padded sticks rather than the hand
  3. The tabla is made of metal, while the pakhawaj is made of wood
  4. The tabla has no lacing, so the head is free to vibrate

Explanation

The tabla's smaller head, combined with the mass and damping of the syahi, concentrates the vibration into a more focused and tunable pitch. The pakhawaj's larger, more open head produces a broader and less defined tone.

Question 14Origin and Evolution of Tabla

Which statement about the relationship between tabla and pakhawaj repertoire is most accurate?

  1. Tabla repertoire developed entirely independently, with no shared bols
  2. Pakhawaj repertoire was later adapted from tabla compositions
  3. Tabla and pakhawaj share a common stock of bols and compositional forms, with many tabla pieces adapted from pakhawaj Correct answer.
  4. The two traditions use completely different notation and share no terms

Explanation

The two traditions share a vocabulary of bols and forms such as paran and tukra, and many tabla compositions are understood to derive from pakhawaj models. This shared heritage supports the view that the tabla grew out of the older barrel-drum tradition.

Question 15Origin and Evolution of Tabla

The term 'tabla' is commonly explained as derived from an Arabic or Persian root meaning:

  1. Drum or flat surface Correct answer.
  2. Hand or finger
  3. Rhythm cycle
  4. Song or melody

Explanation

The word tabla is generally traced to an Arabic or Persian root associated with a drum or flat surface, reflecting the instrument's flat playing head. This etymology is often cited alongside the Khusrau legend.

Question 16Origin and Evolution of Tabla

Which of the following is a recognized regional tabla gharana associated with a distinctive style of playing?

  1. Gwalior
  2. Kirana
  3. Lucknow Correct answer.
  4. Jaipur

Explanation

Lucknow is one of the recognized tabla gharanas, known for a particular approach to stroke production and composition. The other options are primarily vocal gharanas rather than tabla traditions.

Question 17Origin and Evolution of Tabla

Which of the following statements about the bayan's playing technique is most accurate?

  1. The bayan is struck only with the fingertips to produce a high, sharp tone
  2. The bayan is not struck at all and resonates only sympathetically
  3. The bayan is played with a stick to produce a dry click
  4. The bayan is struck with the flat palm and wrist to produce a bending, resonant bass tone Correct answer.

Explanation

The bayan is played with the palm and wrist, allowing the player to press and release the head to bend the pitch. This produces the characteristic resonant bass sound that underpins the tabla's tonal range.

Question 18Origin and Evolution of Tabla

Why is the mridang, rather than the pakhawaj, the drum named in the Khusrau legend of the tabla's origin?

  1. The mridang is a frame drum, unlike the pakhawaj
  2. The pakhawaj did not exist in any form before the tabla
  3. The mridang is a modern instrument invented after the tabla
  4. The mridang is the older and more widely known barrel drum, making it a fitting symbol for the origin story Correct answer.

Explanation

The mridang is the older and more broadly known barrel drum in Indian tradition, so the legend uses it as the symbolic source. The choice reflects the mridang's prestige rather than a documented technical relationship.

Question 19Origin and Evolution of Tabla

Which of the following best describes the role of the tabla in the development of Hindustani rhythmic theory?

  1. It was used only in folk music and had no role in classical theory
  2. It replaced the concept of tala with a fixed rhythmic pattern
  3. It was limited to accompanying dhrupad and never played solo
  4. It provided a flexible instrument for realizing complex tala cycles and layakari in performance Correct answer.

Explanation

The tabla's responsiveness and range of strokes made it well suited to realizing tala cycles and to exploring layakari and other rhythmic manipulations. This flexibility helped it become central to Hindustani rhythmic practice.

Question 20Origin and Evolution of Tabla

Which of the following is a common term for the smaller, treble drum of the tabla pair?

  1. Dayan Correct answer.
  2. Dagga
  3. Bayan
  4. Dhol

Explanation

The smaller treble drum is commonly called the dayan, meaning right-hand drum, and it carries the tuned syahi that produces the clear pitched tone. The larger bass drum is the bayan.

Question 21Gharanas (Schools) of Tabla and Their Stylistic Features

The Delhi gharana of tabla is most closely associated with which lineage of founding ustads?

  1. Kallu Khan and Miru Khan, whose descendants shaped the Dilli baj Correct answer.
  2. Kudau Singh and the pakhawaj players of Punjab
  3. Bakshu Khan and his dhrupad-oriented school of Jaipur
  4. Sitara Khan and his descendants in the poorab tradition

Explanation

The Dilli baj traces its lineage to Kallu Khan and Miru Khan, whose descendants such as Sitara Khan and Chho te Khan developed the style. Delhi playing is marked by a light, resonant bayan and intricate, ornamented compositions.

Question 22Gharanas (Schools) of Tabla and Their Stylistic Features

Which feature best characterises the Lucknow (poorab) baj of tabla?

  1. Predominance of khula bols with full, open-handed strokes and strong pakhawaj influence Correct answer.
  2. Heavy reliance on closed, muted strokes with minimal resonance
  3. Absence of gats and reliance solely on tukras
  4. Exclusive use of the bayan for melodic phrases

Explanation

The poorab baj of Lucknow preserves khula (open) bols inherited from pakhawaj practice, giving a broad, resonant sound. Its repertoire includes gats, chalan and parans with strong pakhawaj flavour.

Question 23Gharanas (Schools) of Tabla and Their Stylistic Features

The Ajrada gharana is especially celebrated for which compositional strength?

  1. Vocal-style thumri accompaniment only
  2. Solo pakhawaj performances without tabla
  3. Intricate gats with dense, mathematical bol patterns Correct answer.
  4. Long parans drawn from dhrupad repertoire

Explanation

Ajrada is renowned for its gats, which are dense, tightly constructed and mathematically intricate. The school emphasises precision and clarity of bol articulation in these compositions.

Question 24Gharanas (Schools) of Tabla and Their Stylistic Features

The Farukhabad baj is particularly noted for which quality of sound production?

  1. A resonant, full-bodied tone with strong bayan presence Correct answer.
  2. A thin, dry and highly muted tone
  3. A uniformly high-pitched tone across both drums
  4. A soft, indistinct tone with little articulation

Explanation

Farukhabad playing is admired for a rich, resonant sound with a powerful bayan and clear articulation. The style balances melodic clarity on the dayan with deep bass accents.

Question 25Gharanas (Schools) of Tabla and Their Stylistic Features

Which gharana is traditionally regarded as the oldest of the major tabla schools?

  1. Ajrada
  2. Delhi Correct answer.
  3. Punjab
  4. Benares

Explanation

The Delhi gharana is generally considered the oldest of the major tabla schools, tracing back to the thirteenth-century court tradition. Later schools such as Ajrada and Farukhabad emerged from or alongside it.

Question 26Gharanas (Schools) of Tabla and Their Stylistic Features

The Punjab gharana of tabla is closely linked to which earlier percussion tradition?

  1. Pakhawaj playing of the Punjab region Correct answer.
  2. South Indian mridangam practice
  3. Bengali khol playing
  4. Kashmiri sufiana percussion

Explanation

The Punjab tabla school grew out of the region's pakhawaj tradition, which shaped its bold, open strokes. This heritage explains its emphasis on powerful, resonant bols.

Question 27Gharanas (Schools) of Tabla and Their Stylistic Features

Which gharana is famous for the 'Benares baj' with its characteristic use of the dha and tin strokes in brisk patterns?

  1. Farukhabad
  2. Benares Correct answer.
  3. Ajrada
  4. Lucknow

Explanation

The Benares baj is known for lively, brisk patterns and distinctive use of strokes such as dha and tin. Its playing often has a bright, energetic character suited to accompaniment and solo.

Question 28Gharanas (Schools) of Tabla and Their Stylistic Features

In the Delhi baj, the term 'khand' or 'khand-bhar' typically refers to what?

  1. A method of stringing the dayan
  2. A type of bayan tuning
  3. A style of sitting posture
  4. A compositional segment broken into rhythmic divisions Correct answer.

Explanation

In Delhi practice, khand or khand-bhar denotes a compositional segment divided into rhythmic parts, often explored in gat and tukra playing. It reflects the school's analytical approach to rhythmic division.

Question 29Gharanas (Schools) of Tabla and Their Stylistic Features

A tabla player performs a composition with open, resonant strokes in the poorab manner and strong pakhawaj-derived parans. Which gharana does this most suggest?

  1. Ajrada
  2. Punjab
  3. Lucknow Correct answer.
  4. Delhi

Explanation

Open, resonant strokes and pakhawaj-derived parans are hallmarks of the Lucknow poorab baj. This style preserves khula bols and a broad sound associated with the eastern tradition.

Question 30Gharanas (Schools) of Tabla and Their Stylistic Features

Why do many Ajrada compositions sound mathematically rigorous to listeners?

  1. They are performed only in slow tempo
  2. They rely on free improvisation without repetition
  3. They use dense bol groupings that divide the matra cycle into precise, interlocking patterns Correct answer.
  4. They avoid fixed tal structures entirely

Explanation

Ajrada gats often divide the matra cycle into precise, interlocking bol groupings, creating a sense of mathematical rigour. The clarity of articulation makes these divisions audible to listeners.

Question 31Gharanas (Schools) of Tabla and Their Stylistic Features

What distinguishes the Farukhabad approach to bayan use compared with a lighter Delhi approach?

  1. Farukhabad tunes the bayan to match the dayan exactly
  2. Farukhabad plays the bayan only in accompaniment
  3. Farukhabad uses the bayan for pronounced, resonant bass accents Correct answer.
  4. Farukhabad avoids the bayan in solo playing

Explanation

Farukhabad playing is noted for a strong, resonant bayan that delivers pronounced bass accents. This contrasts with the lighter bayan character often associated with Delhi style.

Question 32Gharanas (Schools) of Tabla and Their Stylistic Features

The Punjab gharana's bold, open strokes are most directly explained by which historical influence?

  1. Its development from vocal dhrupad alone
  2. Its isolation from North Indian percussion traditions
  3. Its reliance on Carnatic rhythmic theory
  4. Its origins in pakhawaj practice Correct answer.

Explanation

Punjab tabla emerged from pakhawaj practice, which prizes powerful, open-handed strokes. This heritage accounts for the school's bold sound and resonant articulation.

Question 33Gharanas (Schools) of Tabla and Their Stylistic Features

A composition in which a fixed theme is followed by improvised variations that return to the theme is most characteristic of which gharana's gat tradition?

  1. Ajrada Correct answer.
  2. Delhi
  3. Farukhabad
  4. Benares

Explanation

Ajrada's gat tradition often presents a fixed theme followed by improvised variations that return to the theme. This structure highlights the school's balance of composition and extempore elaboration.

Question 34Gharanas (Schools) of Tabla and Their Stylistic Features

Which statement best captures the relationship between the Delhi and Ajrada gharanas?

  1. Ajrada developed independently with no connection to Delhi
  2. The two schools are identical in style
  3. Ajrada emerged as a distinct school with roots connected to the Delhi tradition Correct answer.
  4. Delhi was founded by Ajrada musicians

Explanation

Ajrada emerged as a distinct school with roots connected to the older Delhi tradition, then developed its own identity. Its emphasis on dense gats differentiates it from Delhi's ornamented style.

Question 35Gharanas (Schools) of Tabla and Their Stylistic Features

In Benares baj, the brisk tempos and lively stroke patterns make the style especially suited to which context?

  1. Silent meditation practice
  2. Slow dhrupad accompaniment only
  3. Pakhawaj solo recitals
  4. Energetic accompaniment and solo display Correct answer.

Explanation

The Benares baj's brisk tempos and lively patterns suit energetic accompaniment and solo display. The style's brightness makes it effective in fast-paced performance contexts.

Question 36Gharanas (Schools) of Tabla and Their Stylistic Features

Which pairing of gharana and signature strength is most accurate?

  1. Lucknow - dense mathematical gats
  2. Punjab - exclusive use of muted strokes
  3. Ajrada - poorab parans with open strokes
  4. Farukhabad - resonant sound and broad repertoire Correct answer.

Explanation

Farukhabad is widely recognised for its resonant sound and broad repertoire. The other pairings misattribute signature strengths to the wrong schools.

Question 37Gharanas (Schools) of Tabla and Their Stylistic Features

A student learns that a school emphasises 'khula' bols. Which gharana's aesthetic does this most directly reflect?

  1. Delhi
  2. Lucknow poorab Correct answer.
  3. Farukhabad
  4. Ajrada

Explanation

Khula bols, or open resonant strokes, are central to the Lucknow poorab aesthetic. The term signals the school's pakhawaj-derived, broad sound.

Question 38Gharanas (Schools) of Tabla and Their Stylistic Features

Which factor most plausibly explains why gharanas differ in bayan tuning and stroke character?

  1. A single central authority mandating styles
  2. Different regional performance contexts and inherited teaching lineages Correct answer.
  3. Random variation with no historical basis
  4. Uniform instrument construction across India

Explanation

Regional performance contexts and inherited teaching lineages shaped each school's preferences for bayan tuning and stroke character. These differences accumulated across generations of transmission.

Question 39Gharanas (Schools) of Tabla and Their Stylistic Features

A performer wishes to display a composition built on precise, interlocking bol divisions within a fixed tal cycle. Which gharana's repertoire is the most direct source?

  1. Ajrada Correct answer.
  2. Benares
  3. Punjab
  4. Lucknow

Explanation

Ajrada's repertoire is the most direct source for compositions built on precise, interlocking bol divisions. Its gats are structured to make these divisions audible within the tal cycle.

Question 40Gharanas (Schools) of Tabla and Their Stylistic Features

How does the Delhi baj's treatment of ornamentation differ from the Punjab baj's emphasis on open strokes?

  1. Both schools reject ornamentation
  2. Punjab relies on ornamentation while Delhi uses only open strokes
  3. Delhi favours intricate ornamentation, while Punjab favours bold, open resonance Correct answer.
  4. Delhi avoids ornamentation entirely, while Punjab uses only muted strokes

Explanation

Delhi playing is admired for intricate ornamentation, whereas Punjab emphasises bold, open resonance rooted in pakhawaj practice. The contrast lies in refinement versus open power.

Question 41Gharanas (Schools) of Tabla and Their Stylistic Features

Which claim about the historical emergence of the major tabla gharanas is most defensible?

  1. They are modern inventions with no historical lineage
  2. They emerged over time in different regions through distinct lineages and patronage contexts Correct answer.
  3. All gharanas appeared simultaneously in the same city
  4. They were created by a single musician in one generation

Explanation

The major gharanas emerged over time in different regions, shaped by distinct lineages and patronage contexts. This gradual, regionally varied development explains their stylistic differences.

Question 42Gharanas (Schools) of Tabla and Their Stylistic Features

A composition uses pakhawaj-derived parans with broad, open strokes and a strong sense of vocal accompaniment style. Which gharana tradition is most consistent with this description?

  1. Benares
  2. Farukhabad
  3. Lucknow poorab Correct answer.
  4. Ajrada

Explanation

Pakhawaj-derived parans with broad open strokes and a vocal-accompaniment orientation point to the Lucknow poorab tradition. This school preserves the khula aesthetic inherited from pakhawaj.

Question 43Gharanas (Schools) of Tabla and Their Stylistic Features

Which comparison of Farukhabad and Lucknow best reflects their stylistic priorities?

  1. Farukhabad rejects the bayan, while Lucknow rejects the dayan
  2. Farukhabad stresses poorab parans, while Lucknow stresses dense mathematical gats
  3. Both schools prioritise identical bayan tuning and stroke character
  4. Farukhabad stresses resonant sound and repertoire breadth, while Lucknow stresses open poorab strokes and parans Correct answer.

Explanation

Farukhabad is noted for resonant sound and broad repertoire, while Lucknow is defined by open poorab strokes and parans. These priorities distinguish the two schools despite some shared North Indian foundations.

Question 44Gharanas (Schools) of Tabla and Their Stylistic Features

Why is it misleading to describe any single gharana as the definitive tabla style?

  1. Because tabla has no regional variation
  2. Because each school developed its own repertoire, technique and aesthetic within a shared tradition Correct answer.
  3. Because only one gharana is historically documented
  4. Because gharanas are interchangeable and lack distinct identities

Explanation

Each gharana developed its own repertoire, technique and aesthetic within a shared North Indian tradition. Calling one definitive overlooks the legitimate diversity of the schools.

Question 45Structure, Parts, and Maintenance of the Tabla and Dagga

On a tabla, which part rests directly on the cushion ring and transmits vibration into the drum shell?

  1. The gajra (braid) around the syahi
  2. The puri, the woven rim that sits on the gajra Correct answer.
  3. The chanti, the narrow strip just outside the syahi
  4. The maidan, the bare skin between syahi and kinar

Explanation

The puri (also called gajra-side rim area) is the thick woven edge of the goat-skin head that sits over the gajra ring and anchors the tensioning thong. It is the structural interface between head and shell, so vibration passes through it. The maidan, syahi and chanti are playing surfaces, not the structural seating edge.

Question 46Structure, Parts, and Maintenance of the Tabla and Dagga

A student's dagga produces a dull thud with almost no resonance. Inspection shows the syahi has dried and cracked away from the skin. What is the most direct structural consequence?

  1. The loading mass at the centre is reduced, so overtones are no longer damped into a pitched tone Correct answer.
  2. The puri loses tension and the head slips off the gajra
  3. The thong tension drops uniformly around the drum
  4. The gajra hardens and stops cushioning the shell

Explanation

The syahi is a loaded patch of paste that adds mass and internal damping at the centre of the head, which is what converts a noisy skin sound into a defined pitched stroke. When it cracks and detaches, that loading and damping are lost, so the drum sounds thin and unpitched. Tension and the gajra are separate subsystems and are not directly altered by syahi failure.

Question 47Structure, Parts, and Maintenance of the Tabla and Dagga

Which material is traditionally applied in layers to build the syahi on a tabla head?

  1. Iron filings mixed with tamarind juice Correct answer.
  2. Sisal fibre bound with beeswax
  3. Synthetic resin loaded with chalk powder
  4. Wheat flour paste with charcoal and rice husk

Explanation

The classical recipe for syahi uses fine iron filings (or similar black powder) worked into a binder such as tamarind extract or a cooked starch paste, applied in thin successive coats. The iron-rich loading gives the dark colour, the mass and the damping that shape the tone. The other mixtures do not match the traditional recipe.

Question 48Structure, Parts, and Maintenance of the Tabla and Dagga

Why is the dagga head usually kept free of a large central syahi compared with the tabla?

  1. Because the dagga is struck only with the fingertips
  2. Because paste would corrode the copper shell
  3. Because the dagga must produce a deep, sustained bass rather than a sharp pitched tone Correct answer.
  4. Because the dagga skin is too thin to hold any paste

Explanation

The dagga is the bass drum, and its sound depends on a large, relatively unloaded area of skin vibrating freely to give depth and sustain. A small syahi may be present, but a large central patch would damp the low modes and destroy the bass character. The tabla, by contrast, needs heavy central loading for a defined pitch.

Question 49Structure, Parts, and Maintenance of the Tabla and Dagga

What is the function of the gajra on a tabla?

  1. It tunes the drum by stretching the skin
  2. It is a cushioning ring that seats the head and protects it from the hard shell edge Correct answer.
  3. It marks the boundary between maidan and chanti
  4. It holds the syahi in place on the maidan

Explanation

The gajra is a braided or rolled ring of leather or cloth placed between the head and the shell rim. It cushions the skin against the hard edge, seals the seating and helps the head survive tensioning. It does not tune the drum or define playing zones.

Question 50Structure, Parts, and Maintenance of the Tabla and Dagga

A tabla player reports that one side of the head is noticeably tighter, making the kinar sound thin on that side. Which maintenance action addresses the cause?

  1. Evening out thong tension by adjusting the pegs or hammering the rings around the circumference Correct answer.
  2. Re-seating the gajra on the tight side only
  3. Applying a fresh coat of syahi to the loose side
  4. Replacing the dagga head to balance the pair

Explanation

Uneven pitch around the rim is a tension imbalance in the lacing system, so the remedy is to equalise tension progressively around the circumference using the pegs or the tuning rings. Working gradually and checking by ear at each step prevents over-tightening one area. Adding paste or altering the gajra would not correct a lacing imbalance.