Mano is a repetative pattern played during a transition, like cueing when the dancer is to begin. This is a pattern repeated 3 times, with the last beat ending as the first beat in the next section. In Hindustani music this is called the Tihai

In the examples below “[:” and “:]” designate a repeated area, with the number of repeats at the ending. If these are further repeated into larger repeats then they are wrapped in “{:” and “:}” meaning the outermost repeats. The last matra that lands on the first matra of the next section is enclosed in “(” and “)”. “§” indicates a gap, or rest.

A few essential terms:

• Taal - Cycle of beats in a particular pattern.
• Matra - Beat; the beat in a taal. 16 matra taal means there are 16 beats in this cycle.

1. Biramo Mano

[: kiti taka gadi gana (Dha) § :] 3 x's

This mano has one gap (rest)

If the latter is repeated 3 times notice how the last matra (beat) would be 9. If this were a 16 matra taal, and you played this mano in the last 8 matra of the cycle, then the ninth matra would be the first matra of the next section.

2. Abiramo Mano

This mano has no gaps.

kiti taka gadi gana Dha kiti taka gadi gana Dha kiti taka gadi gana (Dha)

I removed the repeat marks in this example to show how the simple “kiti taka gadi gana Dha” phrase is repeated without a rest.

3. Lagano Mano

This mano has no ending.

{: [: kiti taka gadi gana (Dha) § :] 3 x's Dha Dha gadi gana :} 3 x's

Notice how there are no gaps between sections and repeated phrases and the very last “Dha Dha gadi gana” is never played, ie. notice the position of the final “Dha”.

4. Bhoumri Mano

This mano was described to me as more “circular”

{: Dha Dha tini tini [: Dha Dha kita taka Dha § § § :] 3 x's :} 3 x's

2 matra mano

gadi gana Dha gadi gana Dha gadi gana (Dha)

3 matra mano

gadi gana Dha § § gadi gana Dha § § gadi gana (Dha)

4 matra mano

tin gine Dha tin gine Dha tin gine (Dha)

5 matra mano

tin gine Dha § tin gine Dha § tin gine (Dha)

6 matra mano

gadi gana Dha § § gadi gana Dha § § gadi gana (Dha)

7 matra mano

kiti taka gadi gana Dha kiti taka gadi gana Dha kiti taka gadi gana (Dha)

8 matra mano

[: kiti taka gadi gana (Dha) § :] 3 x's

9 matra mano

gadi gana Dha § § § § §
gadi gana Dha § § § § §
gadi gana (Dha)

10 matra mano

kiti taka gadi gana Dha § § §
kiti taka gadi gana Dha § § §
kiti taka gadi gana (Dha)