This document provides an overview of the structure of the tabla drum and the syllables produced by striking different parts of the drum. It describes the materials used to construct the body and accessories of the tabla. It then explains the 10 basic syllables produced by striking different regions of the drum with various fingers, including the chant, maidan, syahi and gajra. It also describes two combined syllables, dha and dhin, produced by simultaneously striking the tabla and dagga with different fingers. The document aims to educate readers on the technical aspects of playing the tabla.

1. Structure of Tabla & Nikas of its Syllables
(तबला वाद्य की संरचना एवं उसके वर्णों का ननकास)
PRESENTATION
BY
DR. AMIT VERMA

2. Structure of Tabla

3. Body of Tabla & Banaya (Dagga)
Made from Wood -
Mango/Neem/Sheesham
Made from -
Steel/Copper/Mud
10-12 inches
10-12 inches
5-6 inches
8-9 inches

4. Poodi or Chhavani
1. Chant/Kinar
2. Lav/Maidan
3. Syahi
4. Gajra

5. Dagga or Banya Tabla
1. Chant/Kinar
3. Syahi
2. Maidan
4. Gajra

6. Leather Strips
Wooden Blocks

7. Ring of Strips at
Bottom

8. Rings & Top Cover Hammer

9. Tabla Bag

10. Syllables of Tabla & Dagga
Syllables of Tabla
1. Ta/Na ता/ना
2. Ti/Tin ती/ततिं
3. Te/Ti ते/तत
4. Ra/Ta र/ट
5. Tu/Tun तू/तूिं
6. Din/Thun दीं/थिं
Syllables of Dagga
7. Ge/Ghe गे/घे
8. Ki/Ke/Kat ति/िे/ित
Combined Syllables
9. Dha धा
10. Dhin तधिं

11. Name of Fingers

12. Ta/Na (ता/ना)
Ta or Na is produced by index
finger of the right hand, striking on
the Chanti on Tabla. While the ring
finger will be placed on Syahi.

13. Ti/Tin (ती/नतं)
Ti or Tin is produced by index finger of
the right hand, striking on the Maidan on
the Tabla. While the ring finger will be
placed on Syahi.

14. Tay/Ti (ते/नत)
Raise the hand, join the middle
and ring finger and strike on the
middle of the Syahi with stress.
Thus ‘Tay’ or ‘Ti’ will produced.

15. Ra/Te (र/ट) Tu/Tun (तू/तूं)
Raise the right hand and strike
the index finger on the middle of
the Syahi with stress. Thus ‘Re’
is produced.
Raise the right hand from the Tabla.
Turning to the right side of Syahi,
strike on the edge of the Syahi with
index finger and raise again. Thus
‘Tu’ or ‘Tun’ is produced.

16. Din/Thun (दीं/थं)
All the four fingers of the right hand will
be joined and strike on upper side of the
Syahi of Tabla, ‘Din’ will be produced.
When this stroke is made on the middle of
the Syahi ‘Thun’ will be produced.

17. Ge/Ghe (गे/घे)
Srike the middle and
ring finger jointly in
between the Syahi and
Kinar. Thus ‘Ghe’ is
produced.
Strike the index finger
in between the Syahi
and Kinar. Thus ‘Ge’ is
produced.

18. Ki/Ke/Kat (नक/के /कत)
Join all the five fingers and by the tips of the fingers, strike on the
Kinar. Thus ‘Ki’ or ‘Ke’ is produced.
Join all five fingers, raise the wrist, bring back to the middle of Syahi
and strike. Thus ‘Kat’ is produced.

19. Combined Syllables / सिंयक्त वर्ण
Dha/धा Dhin/नधं
When middle finger and ring finger of
left hand jointly produces ;Ghe’ on
Dagga and same time index finger on
right hand produces ‘Ta’ on Chanti then
combined sound ‘Dha’ is produced.
When index finger of left hand produces
‘Ge’ on Dagga and same time index
finger of right hand produces ‘Tin’ on
the Maidan, the combined sound ‘Dhin’
is produced.

20. Thank you
Presentation By
Dr. Amit Verma
Assistant Professor
Sangeet Bhawan,
Visva Bharati University
Shantiniketan, West Bengal
Email: kr.amitverma@gmail.com