Music Lessons

Hindustani Music

SWARA

The word itself gives a clue to its meaning. “Swa” stands for “Self” and “Ra” stands for “shining forth”. From this we can understand that by the force of the Swara the Self is expected to shine through.

In Music there are Seven main Swaras namely Shadja (Sa), Rishabh (Re), Gandhar (Ga ), Madhyam (Ma), Pancham (Pa), Dhaivat (Dha) and Nishad (Ni).

Out of these seven Swaras, Re, Ga, Ma, Dha and Ni, each has one altered Swara.

Swaras have two basic forms: Shuddha and Vikrit. The following chart gives the details :-

• Sa and Pa are called Achal Swaras as they do not change
  their form.
   

• Sa Re Ga Ma Pa Dha Ni form Shuddha Thaat, also called
  Bilawal Thaat and, in western terms, Major Scale.
   

• Sa re Re ga Ga Ma ma Pa dha Dha ni Ni form the Kramik Thaat
  or, in western terms, Chromatic scale

SWARA-s from NATURE
 

Sa is the cry of the peacock. Re, like that of the bull. Ga is like the cleaving of the Goat. Ma, like the call of the Crane. Cuckoo sings with the sound of Pa. Dha is like the neighing of the horse and Ni like the trumpeting of the elephant.

SAPTAK / Octave
 

Sapt means Seven. Saptak means a group of seven Swaras from ‘Sa’ to ‘Ni’. The difference between the western term ‘octave’ and the Saptak is that although both consist of 7 notes, an octave can start from anywhere, but a Saptak always begins with Sa and ends with Ni. The range of the human voice is across three Saptaks, although instruments can go beyond these. These three Saptaks are: