Swar, Sargam, Scales and Comparative Raga Study
This domain joins the smallest unit of music (the single swara) to the largest comparison the paper asks for (two similar ragas). Learn the twelve positions by semitone count from Sa, then use them to explain differences instead of memorising lists.
The twelve swaras
Counting semitones above Sa: Sa 0, komal Re 1, shuddha Re 2, komal Ga 3, shuddha Ga 4, shuddha Ma 5, tivra Ma 6, Pa 7, komal Dha 8, shuddha Dha 9, komal Ni 10, shuddha Ni 11, then tar Sa 12.
- Sa–Pa is seven semitones, about 702 cents (ratio 3:2 in just intonation); Sa–Ma is five semitones, about 498 cents (4:3). A harmonium in equal temperament gives 700 and 500, a gap of only two cents.
- Shruti: Bharata's twenty-two divisions are theoretical, not the twelve fixed keys of a reed organ.
- Saptak: mandra, madhya and tar, marked by dots below and above.
Writing sargam
Komal swaras take a stroke beneath (r g d n in plain text), tivra Ma a stroke above (M^), and octave dots are compulsory. Example, Yaman: aroha S R G M^ D N S'; avaroha S' N D P M^ G R S.
Comparative ragas
- Yaman and Bhoopali both avoid shuddha Ma. Yaman uses tivra Ma and both Nis and is near-sampurna, with vadi Ga, samvadi Ni; Bhoopali is audav (S R G P D S'), vadi Ga, samvadi Dha. Both belong to the first prahar of night.
- Bhairav and Ahir Bhairav differ at Dha and Ni: Bhairav has komal Dha with shuddha Ni, Ahir Bhairav shuddha Dha with komal Ni.
- Yaman and Yaman Kalyan differ only by the addition of shuddha Ma in the latter.
Worked example
Asked to compare Bhoopali and Yaman, state the scale difference first (Ma and Ni), then vadi–samvadi, then time. Two ragas with identical time are separated by pakad, not by prahar.
Traps
- Writing komal Re as plain R, or omitting the tivra stroke.
- Saying a raga "contains twelve swaras".
- Comparing ragas only by time of day when their scales are the real difference.