What is a lehra? A guide for tabla practice
Updated 31 October 2026
A lehra (also called nagma) is a short melody that repeats over and over, in time with a taal, while a tabla player or kathak dancer performs. Its job is to keep the time steady and to mark where the cycle begins, so the soloist can improvise freely and still land exactly on sam, the first beat.
Why practise with a lehra
- It keeps you honest about tempo: the lehra does not speed up or slow down when you do.
- You hear where sam, khali and the sections of the taal fall, so your compositions end where they should.
- It gives a melodic frame to your kaida, tukra and tihai, which is how they are heard on stage.
- A live harmonium or sarangi player is not always available. A good lehra is.
Common taals and their beats
| Taal | Beats | Sections |
|---|---|---|
| Teentaal | 16 | 4 + 4 + 4 + 4 |
| Jhaptaal | 10 | 2 + 3 + 2 + 3 |
| Ektaal | 12 | 2 + 2 + 2 + 2 + 2 + 2 |
| Rupak | 7 | 3 + 2 + 2 |
| Keherwa | 8 | 4 + 4 |
| Dadra | 6 | 3 + 3 |
How to practise with one
- Choose your Sa. Set the lehra to the pitch your tabla (dayan) is tuned to, so the lehra and the drum agree. Tune the dayan first; a tuner helps.
- Start slow. Pick a tempo where every stroke is clean, then raise it a few beats per minute at a time.
- Count the cycle. Say the theka aloud over the lehra until you can feel sam without thinking.
- Add a tanpura. A steady drone on Sa makes it much easier to hear whether you are in tune.
- Practise endings. Play your tihai or tukra and check that it resolves on sam, every time.
Practise with Lehra Flow
Lehra Flow plays a steady lehra on your phone: set the tempo and your Sa, switch on a real tanpura, choose from 50+ instrument sounds, use the built-in tuner for your tabla, or draw a lehra of your own. See the plans (from Rs 29), or create an account.