TABLA MUSINGS  BLOG  X  CONTD FROM BLOG  IX  DISCRIPTIONS AND EXAMPLES OF GATS

In the last Blog no  IX,I had discussed the definition and classification of Gats as I see it.It may defer from accepted approach to the definition.But it should be debated.

I am now giving descriptions of each classification and sub classification of Gats.I have relied heavily on Pt Arvind Mulgaonkar’s Paper read at ITC/SRA workshop mentioned in Blog IX.

Main classification: (My thought process).

GAT-KAYDA

It is a Gat which can be played by itself in one or two avartaans.It can be expanded as a kayda (This is an anomaly,because we have already stated that Gats cannot be altered or expanded.But this is one major exception).

Example:composer Khalifa Ustd Abid Hussein Khan of Lucknow Gharana

Dha dha dha ghidnaag dhingin,dhagetrak dhinghidnaagding nanakata,

Dha dha ghidnaag dinagin dhagetrak,dhinghidnagdin,nanakata tinakina,

Ta ta ta  kidnaag tingin…..Khali

This Gat can easily be expanded as a Kayda.

GATANG RELA:

It is a Gat which has germs of a rela embedded in it. The rela phrases can be extracted and expanded.

Example:

Dhin ghidnag tak ghidnag dhinghidnag tirakittak,

Dhingin dhingin tak tak dhinghidnag tirakittak,

Ta tin takdan tinagin tak tak tirakit

Dha   taa     dhina ghidnag

First three lines are teeshra jati,4^th line is chatushra jati.

First two lines can be comfortably developed as a rela.

In fact Utd Thirakwa used to play his favorite rela:

Dhingin tak tak  dhinagin ,dhingin dhagetrak tinagina,

Dhinagin dhinagin taktak dhingin dhagetraka tinagin

One can see the similarity in these two compositions.

GAT-TODA:

This is a gat which ends up with a teehai.

Example:

Dhagetit tagetit nagdhin nagetit

Kaddhatit dhagetit nagdin nagetit

Dhagetit kaddhin dhikit kita ghentaran dhettaginna dha,

Ghdan    tirkittakta         ghenta dha

Ghdan   tirkittakta         ghenta dha

Ghdan   tirkittakta        ghenta dha

GAT-PARAN

Frankly, I am not familiar with this class of Gat. Those who want to get some information may read Pt Mainkar’s book-Aesthetics of Tabla,page 145,and appendix 96

I must admit that I have not been able to comprehend the explanation given.

GAT (plain)

I have said in the previous blog that Gats which cannot be classified in the above classes could fall into this category.

Example:

Dhinna dhinna tak takit takit tak dhatrak dhjikit kat dhaddanna trakadhet,dhatikat tita dha trakdhet taginna dha gheghenanakat ?

One can see that this composition does not fall into any of the above classifications’

I have suggested in previous blog a sub classification or a name describing the nature of the Gat,these are:

Fard,Darjedaar,Manjdhar,Prapaat,Tripally,Choupalli,Do mukhi,Dudhari,Tidhari,Choudhari Gend Uchal,Anaghat,Sab-akaal,Mishra,Mayur and many more.I have already said that Arvind gives 16 varieties but Nikhilbabu/Nayan have 50  varieties.

It will be a very lengthy blog if I have to give examples of all the sub-classifications above. I will give you a few which I like:

GEND UCHAL GAT

This gat is composed to indicate sound produced by the bouncing of a ball ( gend=ball,uchal=bounce),composer Haji Vilayat Ali.

Dhagat takita dhatirakitatak tet dhirdhirkitataktet dhin takdhin dhin dhin na na dhagetirakit gadi gina nage tita ghina kata gaddi tita dhagena dhatraka kata gadigana takdan  tun tun nagna nagna nagetirakita,

Dhagat takita dhatirakitataktet dhir dhir kitataktet dhin.

The underlined part is in teeshra jati,rest in chatushra jati.

DO MUKHI GAT

Do mukhi Gat indicates that the beginning phrase and the ending  phrase are the same. The above Gat also qualifies as Do Mukhi Gat because the gat starts and ends with: dhagat takita dhatirkittaktet dhirdhirkitataktet dhin.

DUDHARI GAT:

The gat is composed of words repeated twice.

Example:

Dhin ghidan dhin ghidan,dhagenage dhin dhagenage dhin,dhatrakadhikita dhatrakadhikita,ghinatinna ghinak tinna,nakekitatak nakekitatak,dadannakitatak dhadannakitatak,dhadhaghin dhadha ghidnag tirkitaktak dhirdhirkit takita dhirdhirkita  DHA

MAYUR GAT

This gat is composed to describe the dance of a peacock.

Katita katan,dhatunna katta dha,dhita tita dhatitakatgadiganadha,trakadhet taginnadha,dhita kata dhita dhatitakatagadigana dha,dhita…kaa..ta..dhitdhatitakatgadiganadha,dhita kata dhita dha titakatagadiganadha.

This gat is difficult to express in a written form.It can be learnt from a Guru.Yet it is difficult to absorb.

I have been trying to get somebody to help me demonstrate  in a video all  the bandishes,gats relas,ravs mentioned in my blog. I hope I am able to do it.I must caution you that because of my age 83 and lack of practice,it may not be a finished product but I assure you it will put you on the right track.

S W Mulgaonkar

Mumbai

sureshmulgaonkar@gmail.com