Notation System and Writing Notation of Ragas and Talas
What the domain covers
You are tested on the symbols of swar-lipi and on your ability to write a theka or a sargam passage correctly. Practical marks depend on the same symbols, so accuracy here pays twice.
Core rules and concepts (Bhatkhande system)
- Saptak swaras in Devanagari: सा रे ग म प ध नि.
- Komal swaras are underlined (रे, ग, ध, नि); tivra Ma carries a small vertical stroke above (म̑).
- Mandra saptak = dot below the swara; tar saptak = dot above.
- A dash (-) lengthens a note; avagraha (ऽ) marks a rest/khand; a curved line shows meend; kan swar is written small beside the main note.
- Tala symbols: sam = ×, tali = 2, 3, 4, khali = 0, vibhag separated by a vertical line, matra numbers written above the bols.
- Paluskar's system (Gandharva Mahavidyalaya) is the other prevalent notation; school syllabi generally follow Bhatkhande.
Worked example: Teentaal theka, 16 matras
1 × Dha 2 Dhin 3 Dhin 4 Dha | 5 (2) Dha 6 Dhin 7 Dhin 8 Dha | 9 (0) Dha 10 Tin 11 Tin 12 Ta | 13 (3) Ta 14 Dhin 15 Dhin 16 Dha Reasoning: four vibhags of four matras each; sam on matra 1 takes ×; talis fall on 5 and 13 and are numbered 2 and 3; the khali vibhag begins on matra 9 and takes 0, which is why its bols change to Dha–Tin–Tin–Ta.
Traps that cost marks
- Khali is written 0, not 4 or ×.
- Do not draw a vibhag bar after every matra - only after each group.
- Komal means underline, tivra means the stroke above; mixing them changes the raga.
- Keep matra numbers above the line and bols below; examiners deduct for missing sam/khali marks.