Practical Viva-Voce and Identification
Tuning the tanpura
Tune to the raag, not to a fixed chord. If the raag has Pa, use Pa–Sa–Sa–Sa; if Pa is varjit (Malkauns, Marwa, Puriya), use Ma–Sa–Sa–Sa; if Ma is also absent (Bhoopali), use Ni–Sa–Sa–Sa. Sa must sit in your comfortable madhya saptak.
Identification by pakad
- Malkauns: S g m d n S' with no Re or Pa; Chandrakauns substitutes shuddha N for komal d.
- Bhimpalasi: komal g and n, vadi Ma; Kafi has shuddha Ga and Ni.
- Bhairav: komal Re and Dha with andolan.
- Bihag: shuddha Ni and both Madhyams; Bhoopali has neither Ma nor Ni.
Taal identification
Count the matras of one avartan, then locate the khali. Sixteen with khali on 9 is Teentaal; twelve with khalis on 3 and 7 is Ektaal; ten with khali on 6 is Jhaptaal; khali on sam is Rupak.
Worked example
You hear ten matras per avartan, a khali on the sixth, and the theka dhi na | dhi dhi na | ti na | dhi dhi na. Total 10, vibhag 2+3+2+3, khali at 6 - Jhaptaal. A candidate who says "ten matras, so Jhaptaal" without checking the khali has guessed; examiners ask for the reasoning.
Traps
- Tuning every raag to Pa–Sa–Sa–Sa.
- Reciting aroha-avaroha instead of the pakad when asked to identify a raag.
- Confusing Bihag with Bhoopali because both omit Re and Dha in the aroha.
- Not vocalising the theka when the examiner asks for it.