[1] The term is derived from the Hindi word padhna, meaning "to read, study or recite".
[2] Padhant is closely associated with the percussion instrument tabla and the classical dance Kathak, and the recitation of rhythmic patterns before playing them is considered an art in itself.
[3] The dancer in Kathak would pause at intervals to recite the rhythms before executing them through dance.
[4] The recited syllables are also used in storytelling, creating an atmosphere or inducing a mood in the audience; for example, in a performance of Kalidasa's Meghaduta (Cloud Messenger), the sounds ghe-ghe-thi-ta can signify a rumble of clouds or, its expanded version, the arrival of clouds.
[5] In Carnatic music, a similar concept is called konnakol.