Swar and Saptak (Notes and Registers)
Swar and Saptak is the foundation domain of the SSC Indian Music paper: the seven swar-names, the twelve pitch positions they occupy within one octave, the shuddha–vikrit split, and the three registers in which every raga moves. Questions here are usually short identifications - name the komal swars, read a symbol, decide whether a phrase has crossed into tar saptak.
The twelve positions
Seven swars are shuddha - Sa, Re, Ga, Ma, Pa, Dha, Ni. Five are vikrit: komal Re, komal Ga, komal Dha and komal Ni (each lowered a semitone), and tivra Ma (raised a semitone). Sa and Pa are achala - fixed, never komal or tivra. So 7 + 5 = 12 swar-sthan per saptak.
The three registers
Mandra (lower), madhya (middle) and tar (upper). Madhya Sa is the tuning reference; every other note is heard in relation to it. Notation marks a dot below the letter for mandra and a dot above for tar; komal swars take an underline, tivra Ma a line above.
Worked example
Question: 'How many vikrit swars appear in a raga of Bilaval thaat?' Step 1 - recall that Bilaval thaat is the all-shuddha scale. Step 2 - count the altered notes in that scale: none. Step 3 - answer 0. The same reasoning gives 1 for Kalyan thaat (tivra Ma only) and 2 for Bhairav thaat (komal Re and komal Dha).
Traps that cost marks
- Treating Ma as komal; Ma's only alteration is tivra.
- Marking Pa komal or tivra - it is achala.
- Confusing the tar-saptak dot placed above a letter with the tivra line above it.
- Forgetting that tar Sa and mandra Sa are the same swar in different registers, not extra notes.