Chapu tala · 9 units

Sankeerna chapu

Also called: Sankirna chapu

○ Confidence: low (needs checking) Last verified: 12 Oct 2026

Structure

4+5: 9 units in one cycle.

Explanation

Sankeerna chapu is one of the chapu talas. A chapu tala is described by its groups of units: this one is 4 then 5 units (4+5), 9 units in one cycle. The word chapu is said to mean "beat".

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 4 then a group of 5, 9 units in all. The sources checked describe no standard hand actions for chapu talas, so none are given here.

Where it is used

• The CBSE-hosted answer key calls it a rather uncommon variety that figures in some pallavis.

How likely you are to meet it

●●● (rating 3 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)
• Khanda chapu (5 units)
• Misra chapu (7 units)
• Viloma chapu (7 units)

How this was checked

• Sources agree: Sankeerna chapu is counted as 4+5 (9 units). Sources: Carnatic Music (Code 032), Class XII (Melodic Instrument), Session 2020-21, Marking Scheme. A single source, so this is not independently confirmed.