Tala is the rhythmic cycle that holds every composition together, and it is kept with the hand. A laghu is a clap followed by finger counts, a drutam is a clap followed by a turn of the hand, palm up, and an anudrutam is a single clap. The seven Suladi talas combine these parts, and the jati sets how long the laghu is, giving 35 talas in all. The most common, Adi tala, is Chatusra Jati Triputa.
Every raga in Carnatic music descends from one of 72 parent scales, the melakartas. Each uses all seven swaras, and they are grouped into twelve chakras of six. The wheel turns slowly through all 72. Tap any raga to explore it, or listen to its scale.