The Music of Hindostan c14.106

c14.106

The striking thing about these Tāls is their length: 15, 16, and 20 units respectively. There may be a reason for this. It will be noticed that a is in geometrical, c in arithmetical progression. (On those principles the cumulations might have been variously arranged, but it will be found on trial that other arrangements are not so satisfactory.) We are told that Savārī (a), 15 units, in this its true form, is no longer in use, and that in its modern form it is simply taken as Tintāl (16 units); and we can see that fifteen units is difficult to count, and that Brahmatāla (b) of sixteen units is an adulteration of it and a substitute for it. It was clearly necessary in these progressions to take a reasonable number of cumulations in order to display the principle; but there are other reasons for not taking a lower number of them than has been taken.