The 5 Jāthis & 7 Thālās
In the previous blog, we saw how, why and where the concept of Jaathi emerges. We saw that Laghu being the variable, is the link that connects the world of Thaala to the concept of Jaathi. Jaathi is the factor…
What is Thāla, Thāla Anga & Jaathi in Carnatic music?
While Laya refers to the timing aspect of music, Carnatic music requires a tangible and structured framework to measure and organise this perceived time. That framework is called Thaala. What is Thāla? Thāla is a framework used to measure and…
What is Laya in Carnatic music?
In Carnatic music, Shruthi and Laya are often compared to Pārvatī and Parameshvara, symbolising the equal importance of these two fundamental aspects of music. In the previous blogs, we explored concepts related to the Shruthi aspect of music, such as…
What is Katapayādhi Sutra in Carnatic music?
Before trying to understand Katapayādhi Sūtra, it is strongly recommended to know about Melakartha Rāgas. You can read about them here. What is Katapayādhi Sūtra in Carnatic Music? Katapayādhi Sūtra is an ancient numerical encoding system used to determine the…
What are Janya Ragas in Carnatic music?
Before understanding Janya rāgas, it is recommended to first understand Melakartha Rāgas. You can read about the same here. Janya Rāgas are rāgas derived from the 72 Melakartha Rāgas. Or we could say a rāga becomes a Janya rāga if…
What are Melakartha or Janaka Ragas?
Janaka Rāga Janaka, Melakartha, or Mela Rāga are all different names for the same. A rāga can be called a Melakartha Rāgā if it satisfies the following conditions: Sampoorna Rāga: A rāga that has all seven swaras in both its…
What are Rāgas in Carnatic music?
What is a Rāga? A Rāga is a set of swaras that has its own rasa. Note: A Rāga must never be defined only as a set of swaras without referring to the aesthetic identity, expression, emotion and experience it…
What are the 22 Shruthis in Carnatic Music? Overview Guide
What are Shruthis? The word Shruthi is used in many contexts. Modern Carnatic performance operates within the 12 Swarasthanas. The 22 Shruthi model belongs primarily to historical and theoretical discussions. 22 Shruthi system To understand the 22 Shruthi system, knowing…
What are the 12 Swarasthanas in Carnatic Music?
We have already discussed what Swaras are and their types. We also know now that some swaras (vikruthi swaras) have different variants. So, in an octave, we now have: S, R1, R2, R3, G1, G2, G3, M1, M2, P, D1,…
What are the 7 Swaras in Carnatic Music? (Sa Ri Ga Ma Pa Da Ni Explained)
Swaras are musically significant pitch identities understood in relation to the chosen Aadhara Shruthi. The seven swaras (Saptha-swaras): Sa, Ri, Ga, Ma, Pa, Da, Ni are the Sapthaswaras. Among the seven, Sa and Pa are called Prakriti swaras. What does…