Chapu tala · 5 units

Khanda chapu

◐ Confidence: medium Last verified: 12 Oct 2026

Structure

2+3: 5 units in one cycle.

Explanation

Khanda chapu is one of the chapu talas. A chapu tala is described by its groups of units: this one is 2 then 3 units (2+3), 5 units in one cycle. The word chapu is said to mean "beat".

Voiced "ta ka | ta ki ta" (CarnaticStudent), a group of two followed by a group of three.

Unlike the 35 suladi talas, which are built from laghu, drutam and anudrutam, the sources describe chapu talas by their groups only. Chapu talas do not have defined angas in the sources checked: a forum discussion among practitioners concludes that there are none, and that some players equate a chapu tala with a fast form of a suladi tala, but that is an opinion, not a rule.

How it is counted

Counted in a group of 2 then a group of 3, 5 units in all. The sources checked describe no standard hand actions for chapu talas, so none are given here.

Spoken as: ta ka | ta ki ta.

Where it is used

• The CBSE-hosted answer key says Tyagaraja and other composers composed kritis in it.
• A forum contributor says Heccarikaga (Yadukulakambhoji) is usually rendered in Khanda chapu although it is sometimes listed in Jhampa.

Ragas with the most songs in this tala: Bhairavi (1), Dhanyasi (1), Madhyamavathi (1), Chalanata (1), Mechakalyani (1), Jyotiswarupini (1).

How likely you are to meet it

●●○ (rating 2 of 3: 1 = met very often)

Editorial rating: Khanda and Misra chapu are met fairly often, while the others are rare in the sources checked.

Related talas

• Tisra chapu (3 units)
• Misra chapu (7 units)
• Viloma chapu (7 units)
• Sankeerna chapu (9 units)

How this was checked

• Partly agree: Khanda chapu is counted as 2+3 (5 units). Sources: Carnatic Music (Code 032), Class XII (Melodic Instrument), Session 2020-21, Marking Scheme; Practice four widely used Carnatic talas; Angas for Chapu talas?. The sources agree on the groups; Wikipedia counts the whole cycle as twice as many.