Accompaniment — the tabla's primary employment. Good sangat keeps the tala transparent, matches the soloist's dynamic and register, and answers phrases without crowding them. The theka is its foundation, ornamented or thinned as the music demands.
Each genre has its own contract: khayal wants an unobtrusive cycle with occasional response, thumri wants laggi flair, instrumental sangat allows real dialogue, and Kathak demands both recitation and split-second cueing. The best accompanists are prized for judgment — knowing when not to play is half the craft.