Now that you have developed some skills on playing tāls with kānsā, the next step is to sing along while playing the kānsā. At first, the task of simultaneously singing and playing kānsās will be challenging but over time you will overcome any difficulties. Repeatedly listen to the audios below of the first two stanzas of this popular bhajan "Vaishnav Jan To". The rāga is kālero. The tāl for the first stanza is moti chāl and the tāl for the second stanza is hansali.
At first, sing and play the tāls with hands without using kānsā.
વૈષ્ણવ જન તો તેને કહીએ, જે પીડ પરાઇ જાણે રે;
પરદુઃખે ઉપકાર કરે તોયે, મન અભિમાન ન આણે રે ...
vaishnav jan to tene kahi-e, je pida parā-ii jāne re
par-dukhe up-kār kare toye, man abhi-mān na āne re ...
moti chāl (or bethi chāl)
He respects everyone in the world around, and not denounces anybody;
Blessed is his mother, who keeps his speech, deeds and thoughts pure.
Until you are able to simultaneously play the tāls and sing the lyrics, listen to the audios a minimum of fifty times daily. You might be wondering what is it they're playing at the end of the audio for each tāl. Listen closely. It is the sequence played for ending the tāl. This is different for each tāl. Here are the audios of the ending sequences of both tāls:
Ending sequence for moti chāl
Next, listen to the second stanza of another popular bhajan "Narayan-nu Nam Ja Leta". Here, after the default moti chāl, there is a call for transition into bedoliyu.
કુળને તજીએ કુટુંબને તજીએ, તજીએ માને બાપ રે;
ભગિની સુત દારાને તજીએ, જેમ તજે કંચુકી સાપ રે ... નારાયણનું નામ જ લેતાં, વારે તેને તજીએ રે
kul-ne taji-e kutumb-ne taji-e, taji-e mā-ne bāp re
bhagini suta dārā-ne taji- e, jem taje kaň-chuki sāp re ... nārāyan-nu nām ja letā, vāre tene taji-e re
bedoliyu
We give up kinfolks and family, also, we give up relations with our parents;
We give up our relations with sister, son and wife, as a snake sheds off its skin. ... As we utter the name of Narayan, we renounce relations with those who ask us not to.
The ending for bedoliyu which is basically 1-2-3-4-5-6-7 then brief pause and then 8.
Ending sequence for bedoliyu
So far we have showed three tāls and their endings. For an average learner, it will take a few months to be able to play these tāls somewhat and also sing along the lyrics. So be patient and keep at it!
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