A most fascinating rhythm is the 'Matta-tāl', which has a rhythmic cycle of nine beats.  Some people say it is divided into eight bars; seven bars of one beat and the final eighth bar in two beats.  Others say the rhythm is divided into three bars of three + three + three, but when the 'sam' (or main beat), the 'tālis' (or secondary beats) and the 'khālis' (or empty beats) are introduced to emphasis the rhythm, 

it appears to be divided into one bar of two beats, one bar of three beats and one bar of four beats:

There are approximately eighteen to twenty basic tālas (or rhythms) in current use in India, although there are some scholars who might say there are many more, but the practical musician limits himself to a smaller of rhythms which he knows will work in a concert. Some of the main tālas in usage: