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How to practice singing Bada Khyal in Vilambit Ektaal?

Lets first understand what is Vilambit Ektaal, basically there is no special taal called as “Vilambit Ektaal”. When taal is played in Vilambit lay (Very Slow tempo) then we call it as played in Vilambit.

Normally playing any taal in Vilambit lay demands lot of concentration & good feeling of gaps/pauses between two beats, because as we decrease the lay (Tempo) of taal, we are actually increasing the length of gap between two beats.

To easily count long gap between two beats, when Ektaal played in slow lay, we add some filler notes between two beats, & student call it as “Vilambit Ektaal”. It is good idea to divide gap between two beats in four parts,

For example 
[melody start][1|2|3|4|5|6|7|8|9|10|11|12][lyrics]
[D2|-|-|-|D2|-|-|-|D1|-|D1|G1][tabla]
[T4|R1|K2|T8|T2|-|-|-|N1|-|N1|N1N1][tabla]
[K4|-|-|-|T2|-|-|-|D1|-|D1|G1][tabla]
[T4|R1|K2|T8|D2|-|-|-|D1|-|D1|T6][tabla]
[melody end]
Counting & filling four parts is easy, so instead of just counting empty gap, it is easy for Tabla player to maintain lay by adding some filler notes. So first step is to understand this concept, & practice counting of Taal in vilambit lay with out singing. So reciting Taal for few times should be part of your daily Riyaz

You should practice Ekpat, Duppat and Chaupat of Taal as shown below
[melody start]
[1|2|3|4|5|6|7|8|9|10|11|12][lyrics]
[D2|-|-|-|D2|-|-|-|D1|-|D1|G1][tabla]
[T4|R1|K2|T8|T2|-|-|-|N1|-|N1|N1N1][tabla]
[K4|-|-|-|T2|-|-|-|D1|-|D1|G1][tabla]
[T4|R1|K2|T8|D2|-|-|-|D1|-|D1|T6][tabla]
[Duppat|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|-][lyrics]
[D2|-|D2|-|D1|G1|T4R1|K2T8|T2|-|N1|-][tabla]
[K4|-|T1|-|D1|G1|T4R1|K2T8|D2|-|N1|-][tabla]
[D2|-|D2|-|D1|G1|T4R1|K2T8|T2|-|N1|-][tabla]
[K4|-|T1|-|D1|G1|T4R1|K2T8|D2|-|N1|][tabla]
[Chaupat|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|-][lyrics]
[D2|D2|D1G1|T4R1K2T8|T2|N1|K4|T1|D1G1|T4R1K2T8|D2|N1][tabla]
[D2|D2|D1G1|T4R1K2T8|T2|N1|K4|T1|D1G1|T4R1K2T8|D2|N1][tabla]
[D2|D2|D1G1|T4R1K2T8|T2|N1|K4|T1|D1G1|T4R1K2T8|D2|N1][tabla]
[D2|D2|D1G1|T4R1K2T8|T2|N1|K4|T1|D1G1|T4R1K2T8|D2|N1][tabla]
[melody end]
Next step is to understand what is Khyal singing :

Khayal : “Khayal” is a Urdu/Hindi word which means “Imagination/Thought”. In Indian classical music there are some rules for Raga music & Taal music & these rules establishes the identity of Raga or Taal.

For example consider Raga Bhoop its Aroha are [Sa Re Ga Pa Dha Sa] & Avaroha are [Sa Dha Pa Ga Re Sa] apart from this it has Vadi & Samvadi swaras, also it has Chalan. When we follow all these rules it establishes the Raga Bhoop [it also means even if we take a single different swara it will change the Raga].

So basically Khyal singing is a presenting raga with all rules, but you have freedom of imagination/Thoughts [combination of Swaras] within the boundary of Raga rules & this freedom is a challenge for musicians to show the creativity within specified limit. It is same as creating a painting within boundary of paper with specific colors. In Khyal you have Bandish composed in vilambit taal, but the swaras are more important than words of bandish.

Once you understand Vilambit Ektaal & concept of Khyal singing, you are ready to expriment it.
Normally, teachers/Guru teaches a
1. Fixed composition (Bandish) with its starting point in vilambit Ektaal.
2. Fixed rendering (Alaap) which will finish just before starting point of composition, so that you can again pick the Mukhada of composition again in the current cycle of Taal.

Let’s assume you have below inputs with you
1. You can understand & count Vilambit Ektaal 
2. You know Starting point of composition & fixed Alaap for one or two avartan (repeatition) of Vilambit Ektaal.

Now follow below process
1. Start vilambit Ektaal, may be with Tabla player or Tabla machine. Ensure you can understand the beats.
2. Start your composition at starting point, as taught by teacher/guru.
3. Continue with Alaap, most important point to be remembered at this step is you are able to identify each & every beat of Taal while singing, do not just sing without understanding the taal.
4. Usually Alaap will finish before starting point. So after Alaap, pick the composition again correctly in the Taal (refer step 2).

Now this step is the most important step :-) repeat steps from 2 to 4, hundreds of times daily. :-)

As you will progress teacher will teach you some more Alaaps, Taans in the vilambit Ekataal, keep on adding them in above exercise.
In this way you will surely increase your ability to singing in Vilambit Taal confidently.

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How to practice singing Bada Khyal in Vilambit Ektaal?