Saptak, Swara, Shruti, and Fundamental Terminology
This domain tests the vocabulary that underpins every later answer: how the octave is organised, how swaras are altered, and how raga analysis uses terms such as vadi and samvadi.
Core framework
- Saptak means a set of seven swaras: Sa Re Ga Ma Pa Dha Ni. The three registers are mandra, madhya and taar.
- Swara is either shuddha (Sa Re Ga Ma Pa Dha Ni) or vikrit. The komal swaras are Re, Ga, Dha and Ni; Ma has a teevra form. Sa and Pa are normally immutable.
- Shruti is a microtonal position. Bhatkhande's scheme places 22 shrutis in the saptak; treat them as theoretical positions, not equal semitones.
- Jati describes how many swaras are used: sampurna (seven), shadav (six), audav (five). Aroha and avaroha can have different jatis.
- Vadi is the chief swara; samvadi is the second and is normally the fourth or fifth from vadi; anuvadi are the remaining assonant swaras; vivadi are avoided.
- Poorvang covers Sa to Ma; uttarang covers Pa to Sa.
Worked example
Khamaj has aroha S G M P D N S and avaroha S n D P M G R S. Count the swaras: six ascending, seven descending, so its jati is shadav-sampurna. The komal Ni belongs to the avaroha, not the aroha. Reason from the actual line, not from a memorised seven-note scale.
Traps
Do not write teevra Ma as komal Ma. Do not treat the 22 shrutis as 22 equal piano keys. Do not confuse vadi with samvadi. Jati counts the swaras actually used in each direction, not the seven letters of the thaat.