Alankāram is a set of 7 varisas composed in 7 different tālas. Hence they are called Saptha Tāla Alankāram. These are composed in the rāgam Māyāmālavagaula.
The 3 main components of tālam are:
1) Laghu (beat & fingering) and the symbol is I
2) Drutam (beat & wave) and the symbol is O
3) Anudrutam (beat) and the symbol is U
These are called the Angās.
Laghu (beat & fingering) varies according to the Jāthi. There are 5 types of jāthis.
They are:
1) Tisra jāthi – Three
2) Chaturasra jāthi – Four
3) Khanda jāthi – Five
4) Misra jāthi – Seven
5) Sankeerna jāthi – Nine
The 7 tālas in the alankāram are:
1) Chaturasra jāthi Dhruva tālam
Its angās are I O I I. That means, laghu, drutam, laghu, laghu. Its aksharakāla is 14 (4+2+4+4)
2) Chaturasra jāthi Matya tālam
Its angās are I O I. That means, laghu, drutam, laghu. Its aksharakāla is 10 (4+2+4)
3) Chaturasra jāthi Rupaka tālam
Its angās are O I. That means, drutam, laghu. Its aksharakāla is 6 (2+4)
4) Misra jāthi Jhampa tālam
Its angās are I U O. That means, laghu, anudrutam, drutam. Its aksharakāla is 10 (7+1+2)
5) Tisra jāthi Triputa tālam
Its angās are I O O. That means, laghu, drutam, drutam. Its aksharakāla is 7 (3+2+2)
6) Khanda jāthi Ata tālam
Its angās are I I O O. That means, laghu, laghu, drutam, drutam. Its aksharakāla is 14 (5+5+2+2)
7) Chaturasra jāthi Eka tālam
Its angās are I. That means, laghu. Its aksharakāla is 4 (4)
