The rule governing how one சீர் may join the next, based on whether each ends and begins with a நேர் or நிரை beat. Named after which பா it serves, தளை has 7 recognized forms.

Break தளை and even perfectly-formed சீர் sound wrong strung together - it's the invisible grammar of rhythm that makes a line of verse feel seamless.

ஆசிரியத்தளை, வெண்டளை, கலித்தளை, வஞ்சித்தளை - 7 named forms across these 4 பா families.