Dhrupad music is the oldest of vocal music.

It’s key characteristics

include the sung lyrics, and the adherence to rhythm and melody, or taal
and raag.

Chota Khayal are more improvisational in nature, and includes more of

an emphasis on decorations of notes in melodies and ornamentation.
Dhrupad puts a strong emphasis on text and lyrics, Khayal keeps the
actual content of the lyrics as secondary to the way they are used to
express the nuances of the raag.

Dhrupad performances are mostly monophonic in nature (no

accompanying harmony or chord progressions), khayal performances
have accompaniments to the vocalist who complement the vocal line by
playing in heterophony (simultaneous variation from the melodic line).

Dhrupad Compositions is in Chautaal with 12 beats, each line starting

from the 1st beat. Chota Khayal is in Teentaal with 16 beats, each line
starting from the 9th beat.