The tihai (pronounced tee-'high) is a polyrhythmic technique used in Indian classical music often used to conclude a piece.
The basic format of the tihai is 3 equal repetitions of a rhythmic or melodic pattern, usually interspersed with 2 equal rests, calculated to fall on a significant point in the tala most often the som or first beat. The other most common ending point of a tihai is the beginning of the gat or bandish often several beats before the sam.
Typically a tihai is used as a rhythmic cadence that marks the end of a melody or rhythmic composition creating a transition to another section of the music. Tihais can be played and sung by every instrument in Indian music.
If the phrase is sixteen beats long, the outline of a tihai might look like: 4 2 4 2 4. Each "4" represents a pattern that is four beats long and each "2" represents a rest that is two beats long (4+2+4+2+4=16). The start of the next phrase is exactly on the downbeat. Another example is a 2 5 2 5 2 in a sixteen beat phrase. Two beats of rhythm with five beats of rest between.
In a 10 beat taal, such as Jhaptaal, the tihai may be structured as 6 1 6 1 6 1 ( this last beat falling on the sam).
More complicated patterns may be formulated. For example, for the 16 beat teentaal, a tihai of tihais may be formed. This is known as the Chakradhar tihai, a composition of tihais. One structure may be implemented as: 4 1 1 1 4 1 1 1 4 1 1 1 rest 4 1 1 1 4 1 1 1 4 1 1 1 rest 4 1 1 1 4 1 1 1 4 1 1 1, where the last '1' lands on the sam. In terms of a possible composition: dhatirakita takatirakita dhatirakita taktirakita dha dha dha dhatirakita takatirakita dhatirakita takatirakita dha dha dha dhatirakita takatirakita dhatirakita takatirakita dha dha dha S (silent, rest) dhatirakita takatirakita dhatirakita taktirakita dha dha dha dhatirakita takatirakita dhatirakita takatirakita dha dha dha dhatirakita takatirakita dhatirakita takatirakita dha dha dha S (silent, rest) dhatirakita takatirakita dhatirakita takatirakita dha dha dha dhatirakita takatirakita dhatirakita takatirakita dha dha dha dhatirakita takatirakita dhatirakita takatirakita dha dha dha. The last 'dha' being the sam.
If the 3 groupings are played with 2 groupings of rests, which are equally long, then the tihai is called 'dumdaar', otherwise, if there are no rests between the 3 groupings, then the tihai is called 'bedumdaar' or simply 'bedum'.
Sometimes, patterns are played on the tabla that are almost identical to a tihai except for the fact that it ends on the beat just before the sam. Such patterns are known as 'anagat'.