Duguns

You know the Taals. You can keep them steady. Now what happens when someone asks you to play or sing at double speed?

That is Dugun.

Dugun literally means "double." In practical terms, Dugun means fitting twice as many notes or bol (tabla syllables) into the same Taal cycle without changing the speed of the Taal itself.

Read that again slowly because students get this wrong constantly.

The Taal does not speed up. The notes inside the Taal do.

Imagine Teentaal ticking at a steady 16 beats. In regular speed (called Thaah or Baraabar), you sing or play one thing per Matra. In Dugun, you fit two things per Matra. The Taali and Khali positions do not move. Sam is still Sam. The cycle is the same. You are just doing twice as much work inside it.

This is one of the fundamental skills of Indian classical music and it is introduced even at Prarambhik level because it teaches you something crucial: the relationship between melody and rhythm is not fixed. A melody can move at different speeds inside the same rhythmic container.

How to Practice Dugun :

Take the Theka of Keharwa: Dha Ge Na Ti Na Ka Dhi Na.

In Thaah, you say one bol per Matra, 8 bols in 8 Matras.

In Dugun, you say two bols per Matra, still completing all 8 Matras but now fitting 16 bols in the same cycle. The speed of your mouth doubles but the hand keeping Taal stays the same.

This takes time to develop. Do not rush it. Start slow, make the hand and the mouth independent, and gradually the coordination will click.

At Prarambhik level, you are expected to know what Dugun means and demonstrate basic Dugun in at least one Taal. More complex Layakari (Tigun, Chaugun) comes at higher levels.

The Exam-Ready Definition

Dugun: Singing or playing at double speed within the same Taal cycle. Two notes or bols are fitted into each Matra instead of one. The Taal itself does not change speed.

Common Misconceptions

Dugun is not about speeding up the Taal. This is the most common mistake. The tabla player or the hand keeping Taal stays at the same speed. Only the melody or bol doubles in speed within that framework.

Quick Quiz

1. What does Dugun mean literally?

2. How does Dugun differ from simply playing faster?

3. In Dugun of Keharwa, how many bols fit into one cycle?

4. Does Sam move in Dugun? Explain your answer.

5. What is Thaah or Baraabar laya?

Practice Exercise

Try this with the Theka of Dadra: Dha Dhi Na Dha Ti Na. First clap and say it at regular speed. Then keep the clapping the same and double the speed of your bol. If your clapping changes speed, start again. This independent coordination between hand and voice is the whole skill of Layakari. 🎵

PEACE ! 🎻