Chhand: Matrik and Varnik
Chhand: Matrik and Varnik
Metre supplies one to two questions and the whole topic rests on counting. Once the counting of matra is learnt, questions on doha, chaupai and soratha are answered without thinking them through, so fix the rule of laghu and guru first of all.
The Rule for Counting Matra
| Kind | Mark | Matra | Example |
|---|---|---|---|
| Laghu | । | 1 | a letter with a short vowel — क, कि, कु |
| Guru | ऽ | 2 | a letter with a long vowel — का, की, कू, के |
A short letter standing before an anusvar, a visarg or a conjunct is also counted as guru. Each part of a metre is called a charan, and most metres have four charan.
Major Matrik Metres
| Metre | Arrangement | Total |
|---|---|---|
| Doha | 13 in odd charan, 11 in even | 24 |
| Soratha | 11 in odd charan, 13 in even | 24 |
| Chaupai | 16 in every charan | 64 |
| Rola | 11 in odd, 13 in even | 24 |
| Kundaliya | doha and rola together | six charan |
| Barvai | 12 in odd, 7 in even | 19 |
Doha and soratha are the reverse of each other — the doha takes thirteen first and eleven after, the soratha eleven first and thirteen after. That reversal is what is asked most often, so learn the two together rather than apart.
✗ A soratha has thirteen matra in its odd charan | ✓ That is the rule for a doha; a soratha has eleven in its odd charan
A kundaliya is a metre of six charan, in which a doha comes first and a rola after it, and the last word of the doha becomes the first word of the rola. The Ramcharitmanas is written mainly in chaupai and doha.
Varnik Metres
In a matrik metre the matra are counted; in a varnik metre the letters are. That is the basic difference between the two and it is set as a direct question.
- Kavitt or ghanakshari — thirty-one letters in each charan.
- Savaiya — from twenty-two to twenty-six letters; much used in Ritikal.
- Indravajra and Upendravajra — of eleven letters each, from Sanskrit.
- Free verse — bound by neither matra nor letters; Nirala is its founder in Hindi.
गिनने की आसान विधि: पंक्ति को टुकड़ों में तोड़कर हर वर्ण पर लघु या गुरु लिखिए, फिर जोड़ दीजिए। 13 और 11 का जोड़ मिले तो दोहा, 16-16 मिले तो चौपाई।
TRE pointer: Doha 13-11 and soratha 11-13 is the reversed pair asked most often. Chaupai 16-16 with a total of 64 is settled too. Keep the difference between matrik and varnik clear — one counts matra, the other letters. Nirala as founder of free verse can also be asked here.
60-Second Recap
- A laghu counts as one matra and a guru as two.
- A doha has 13 matra in the odd charan and 11 in the even, 24 in all.
- A soratha reverses the doha — 11 in the odd and 13 in the even.
- A chaupai has 16 matra in each charan and 64 in all.
- A kundaliya has six charan, a doha followed by a rola.
- Matrik metres count matra; varnik metres count letters.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the difference between a doha and a soratha?
Both carry twenty-four matra in all, but the order is reversed. A doha has thirteen matra in its odd charan and eleven in its even charan, while a soratha has eleven in the odd and thirteen in the even. That is why the soratha is called the reverse of the doha.
What separates matrik and varnik metres?
In a matrik metre the rule is framed by counting matra, as in doha and chaupai. In a varnik metre it is framed by counting letters, as in kavitt and savaiya. This is the basic distinction and it is asked directly as a question.
How many matra does a chaupai have?
Sixteen in each charan and sixty-four across all four. It is an even matrik metre, because every charan carries the same count. Tulsidas's Ramcharitmanas is written mainly in chaupai and doha, which is why the metre is so familiar.
What is free verse?
Verse in which there is no binding count of matra or letters, and the lines run long or short according to the feeling. In Hindi, Suryakant Tripathi Nirala is regarded as the founder of free verse and his poems remain its finest examples.