Teental, also known as Trital, is the most common and arguably the most important taal in Hindustani classical music. It's a taal of 16 beats (matras) divided into four equal divisions or vibhags. Teental is ubiquitous in performances and practice, providing a foundation for improvisation and composition. Its structure is symmetrical and balanced with a 'sam' (the first beat) at the start, a 'khali' (empty beat) on the 9th beat, and two 'talis' (clapped beats) on the 1st, 5th and 13th beats. Due to its balanced structure and adaptability, it is used in many forms of vocal and instrumental music. Many compositions (gat, bandish, dhun, etc.) exist in Teental.