Akellaji, Nick: Understood.

My question is more on the fundamental aspects of our music.

Let me rephrase it this way.

There are two things.

1) Angas and their kriyas are for keeping the thala. To signal where one is in the thala cycle. A position marker signal.

2) The song itself has built in emphasis and stress points. It has lyrical, melodic and rhythmic structure.

What is the relationship between these two aspects?

Dear brother-member, vasanthakokilam, If we go deep into our music we understand that the criteria in learning music is to become able to create our own music which is called Manodharma Sangita, just like learning cooking to become able to cook fulfilling our own requirements. And all are also aware of the five divisions, Raga, Tanam, Pallavi, Niraval and Svarakalpana of Manodharma Sangita, Among them while all kinds of rhythms are mixed and exhibited while singing a Raga and all these kinds of rhythms will also be exhibited even in Tanam but only one kind of rhythm at one time, later, this rhythm has even been metered while singing the remaining three divisions, Pallavi, Niraval and Svarakalpana.

While arriving at the metre of this rhythm which is called Tala in our Karnataka music and also as we have lengthier Talas we have different Angas to exhibit them differently through the gestures of our hand which could only be followed either by a knowledgeable performer or a knowledgeable accompanist or a knowledgeable listener but not a commoner at all (presently, only shorter rhythmical forms are being used in both the systems of music in India). But, in Hindusthani music, even though their Talas are not exhibited through any physical gestures in the concert one and all are able to follow and enjoy them through the different rhythmical-stress-points brought out while playing their rhythmical instrument, Tabla. As this kind of facility has never been incorporated in playing our rhythmical instrument, Mridangam we are compelled to rely upon the different physical gestures of the Tala to recognise the point of it while enjoying the lyrical-stress-points separately. Thus, as far my knowledge goes, in our music, while we treat the beats of a Tala as the rhythmical-stress-points the lyrical-stress-points may or may not synchronise always with the rhythmical-stress-points but, in Hindusthani music, both the rhythmical and lyrical stress points always synchronise each other and even without the knowledge of the rhythmical intricacies all are able to enjoy both the rhythmical and lyrical stress points. amsharma

Excellent. That answers my question. Thanks Akellaji.