jhala
The fast, rhythmically exciting concluding section of a raga performance.
In Depth
Jhala follows the alap and jor sections, bringing the raga performance to its climax with rapid rhythmic strumming and energetic melodic patterns. On the sitar, jhala involves rapid alternation between the melody string and the side drone strings (chikari), creating a driving rhythmic texture. The tempo accelerates to a thrilling conclusion. In South Indian music, a similar climactic section exists but uses different techniques and terminology.
Ravi Shankar's jhala passages were so electrifying that Western audiences at the Monterey Pop Festival (1967) gave him standing ovations, despite most having never heard Indian music before.