A Theka (IAST: Ṭhekā) literally means "support, prop". The term also refers to a musical composition in classical Indian music for percussion instruments that establish a rhythm (Chanda), beats (Matras) and the metric cycle of beats (Tala) in a performance. An example is the theka of Dadra Tal: "Dha Dhi Na / Na Ti Na".
A theka is the basic rhythmic phrase of a particular tala. It is the underlying repeated pattern that shapes the time cycle of a musical expression.Kayal, Encyclopædia Britannica, Quote: "The rhythm of the melodic performance is nonmetric, but the percussion accompaniment is cast in a tala, and the time cycle is shaped by the repeated pattern (theka) performed by the accompanist." Theka is a term used by the drummers such as the tabla players.
See also Raga
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