The plot and content of the conversation is drawn from popular mythology but the performance mainly consists of an impromptu debate between characters involving sarcasm, puns, philosophy positions and humour.
[2] A typical Tala-Maddale show consists of veteran artists sitting in a circular fashion along with a Bhagavata (the singer, with "Tala" or pair of small hand cymbals) and a "Maddale" (a type of drum) player.
It is organized by either hobbyists who are interested in the art at their houses or as a public event in villages and towns.
[1] Subjects of Tala Maddale performances normally focus on episodes from the Hindu epics of Bhagavata and Puranas.
However, episodes have also been created on other more current issues, some of which include the Second World War, the Tashkent Agreement, the Indian freedom struggle (Swarajya Vijaya) and computerisation (Ganakasura Kalaga).
[1][2] In August 2016, the story of the Indian Freedom Struggle, Swarajya Vijaya, was enacted in Tala Maddale in the outer yard of the Sri Ananteshwara Temple at Rajangana, Karnataka.