Taal Yatra with Sudesh Talwalkar and Group (vocals, instruments and dance) Offer for non members: Become a member and get two complementary passes free. Free for MT Culture Club members. In the Indian tradition, tala, the rhythmic aspect of music, is viewed as being cyclical and not linear. In the cyclic structure of tala the very first beat (sam) assumes paramount significance as the crucial juncture, signifying the end of the existing cycle (avartan) as well as the beginning of a new cycle. In music and dance, the composition (bandish) and the following exposition (vistar) are essentially woven around the cyclic contour of the tala. In order to conclude each round of improvisation, the creative strategy adopted by the artiste to arrive upon the climactic moment of sam becomes the aesthetic highpoint in a performance. Conversely, the refrain (mukhda) and lyrics of the bandish play a significant role in reinforcing the contour of the tala cycle and accentuating the sam, thus making the tala exposition more expressive. Tala Yatra is an innovative presentation conceived, designed and conducted by Suresh Talwalkar, the internationally renowned tabla maestro, scholar and guru. The ensemble, comprising 22 accomplished artistes: vocalists, instrumentalists (sitar, flute, harmonium, tabla, pakhawaj, keyboard, cajun, Western drums and vocal rhythms) as well as Kathak dancers, reveals a perfect synergy between different streams of music, viz. vocal and instrumental music, and Kathak. Within the conventional frameworks of raga and tala, members of the ensemble explore, individually and collectively, musical aspects of mukhda and sam using the vehicle of vocal bandish. The resulting audio-visual experience is a veritable mix of abstract and concrete forms and compositions, with elements of sounds, colours, lines and space.