The word " Tillana " comes from the north Indian word " Tarana ". Many say that the composition of Tarana in Hindustani or north Indian classical music is pretty similar to that of the Tillana of south Indian Carnatic music . Even though its similar, yet specific differences are visible. Common syllables (many of which have Persian influence ) like "Odani" ,"Todani", "Tom","Dhrum", "Nam" etc are commonly used in both Tarana and Tillana. Tillana is a rhythmic composition mainly consisting of Nrittya and a very small Abhinaya part. Tillana mainly consists of the following parts..... Pallavi , Anupallavi , Sahityam and Caranam . Each Tillana is dedicated to a particular deity or a king. Traditionally, the Pallavi and Anupallavi would be sung in 3 speeds ( Vilambitaha , Madhyama and Dhrutam ) and the performance would continue for around 20 to 25 mins. However in modern times due to time constraints, many tillanas...
