The thaalam comes into picture only with Krithis (or other forms like Pallavi) and a composition's lyric and melody are closely connected with the thaalam. Many songs start with the aavartham's start.

However the melodic lines may start at a point later than the aavartham's start. Many compositions in Aadhi thaalam start after one and half aksharams. Sometimes this is called Dhesaadhi. Many compositions which are composed for commencement at the beginning of aavartham are often sung leaving half aksharam in the beginning and contracting the time for the first 2 syllables. This is done for an illusory quickening in tempo and in subsequent variations the same line may start at the beginning of the thaalam cycle itself. Commencing a composition after the beginning of thaalam cycle is termed as 'anaagatham' or 'thalli eduppu' in Tamil. According to the number of aksharams skipped in the beginning it is termed as 'arai' (half a place) or 'onrarai idam' (one and half places). Starting at the beginning of the cycle is termed as 'sama eduppu'. Compositions are also started at three fourths ('mukkaal idam') aksharams (often a problem for beginners!)

When the song is set to 2 kalai, half a place or 'arai idam' is actually the point of the repetition of the beat, while those at three fourth place will actually be half way between the repetition of the beat and the first count

Rarely a composition may also commence before the beginning of the cycle. This is called Atheetha eduppu '.

Audio-visual examples for some of the 'eduppus' are in the next screen.