Microtones

The first set of Six raagas would be arranged in this format:-

1. Sa, Re1, Ga1, Ma1(Natural fourth), Pa(Perfect Fifth ), Dha1, Ni1 Sa(Higher Octave)

Then descent with the same notes.

2. Sa, Re1, Ga1, Ma(nat), Pa(Prfct), Dha1, Ni2, Sa.

Then Descent.

3. Sa, Re1, Ga1, Ma(Natl), Pa(Perfect), Dha1, Ni3 Sa

Then Descent

4. Sa, Re1, Ga1, MA(Natrl), PA(Prfct), Dha2, Ni2, Sa.

Descent..

5. Sa, Re1, Ga1, Ma(Natrl), Pa(prfct), Dha2, Ni3, Sa.

Descent..

6. Sa, Re1,Ga1, Ma(Natrl), Pa(Prfct), Dha3, Ni3, Sa

Descent (

(These Six Raagas are the first of the Six Chakras that have a Natural fourth )

Similarly the second Chakra or group of Six parents Raagas would be :-

7) Sa, Re1, G2, M(Nat), Pa(Prfct), Dha1, Ni1,Sa (Upper octave)

Then Descent..

8)Sa, Re1.Ga2, Ma, Pa, Dha1, Ni2, Sa.

9) Sa, Re1, Ga2, Ma, Pa, Dha1, Ni3, Sa.

10) Sa, Re1, Ga2, Ma, Pa, Dha2, Ni2, Sa

11) Sa, Re1, Ga2, Ma, Pa, Dha2, Ni3, Sa

12) Sa, Re1, Ga2, Ma, Pa, Dha3, Ni3, Sa.

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Third Chakra:-

13) Sa, Re1.Ga3, Ma, Pa, Dha1, Ni1, Sa.

14) Sa, Re1.Ga3, Ma, Pa, Dha1, Ni2, Sa.

15) Sa, Re1.Ga3, Ma, Pa, Dha1, Ni3, Sa.

16) Sa, Re1.Ga3, Ma, Pa, Dha2, Ni2, Sa.

17) Sa, Re1.Ga3, Ma, Pa, Dha2, Ni3, Sa.

18) Sa, Re1.Ga3, Ma, Pa, Dha3, Ni3, Sa.

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Next Chakra: (Fourth)

19) Sa, Re2.Ga2, Ma, Pa, Dha1, Ni1, Sa.

20) Sa, Re2.Ga2, Ma, Pa, Dha1, Ni2, Sa.

21) Sa, Re2.Ga2, Ma, Pa, Dha1, Ni3, Sa.

22) Sa, Re2.Ga2, Ma, Pa, Dha2, Ni2, Sa.

23) Sa, Re2.Ga2, Ma, Pa, Dha2, Ni3, Sa.

24) Sa, Re2.Ga2, Ma, Pa, Dha3, Ni3, Sa.

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Next Chakra:- (Fifth)

25) Sa, Re2.Ga3, Ma, Pa, Dha1, Ni1, Sa.

26) Sa, Re2.Ga3, Ma, Pa, Dha1, Ni2, Sa.

27) Sa, Re2.Ga3, Ma, Pa, Dha1, Ni3, Sa.

28) Sa, Re2.Ga3, Ma, Pa, Dha2, Ni2, Sa.

29) Sa, Re2.Ga3, Ma, Pa, Dha2, Ni3, Sa.

30) Sa, Re2.Ga3, Ma, Pa, Dha3, Ni3, Sa.

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Last Chakra: (sixth)

31) Sa, Re3.Ga3, Ma, Pa, Dha1, Ni1, Sa.

32) Sa, Re3.Ga3, Ma, Pa, Dha1, Ni2, Sa

33) Sa, Re3.Ga3, Ma, Pa, Dha1, Ni3, Sa

34) Sa, Re3.Ga3, Ma, Pa, Dha2, Ni2, Sa

35) Sa, Re3.Ga3, Ma, Pa, Dha2, Ni3, Sa

36) Sa, Re3.Ga3, Ma, Pa, Dha3, Ni3, Sa

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The next 36 are simply in the same order with the Tritone or Sharp fourth instead of the Natural fourth. Thus it completes the 72 Melakarrtaas, each of these Raagas have names, for the Artists to remember them easily than from their numbers or combinations. If anybody needs to know the names of these 72 Raagas, I can print that out as well, for reference.

This is an attempt to go into the intricacies of the traditional and aesthetic aspects of Indian classical music and to give a detailed picture of the universal sound known as “Naada.” “Sound” plays a very important role in human life especially in expressions. It is well expressed by the famous French researcher of Indian classical music, the great Alain Danielou in his book, “A study of Indian classical music,” thus:

Music lovers the world over are well versed with phrases like, “Music is Divine”, “Music needs no language”, “Music sees no religious barriers”, “Music is universal”, “Music emanates peace”, “life”, etc.

 

We, the music lovers or students of music, are often made to believe certain unacceptable justifications given by the traditional ‘Pundits’ of music, owing to their legacies, traditions, schools of thought etc. I, being a violinist by profession, could not stop myself from analyzing the intricacies of sound in its three forms viz, Naada, Swara and Sruti.

Our ancient masters always talked about two varieties of sound:

a. Aahata – which means struck sound or agitated vibration

b. Anaahata – which means un-struck sound or un-agitated vibration

They also believed in ‘Naada’, the profound sound which covers all matters vibrating or non-vibrating in space. Having spoken of Swara, Sruthi and Naada, I would like to stress upon the need to understand that these three are always complementary and co-existent. Swara in general means a musical note which would have a definite number of oscillations, wave length and amplitude. On the other hand, Sruthi cannot be given a particular wavelength or amplitude just for the reason it is very much micro in nature. But we can say that it would have only a particular oscillation and not a range of oscillations, hence Sruthi is an atomic sub-division of Swara.

While on the subject of Sruthi and Swara, let me make one thing absolutely clear:

“Swara is always oscillatory. Hence it is unstable. Sruti is never oscillatory, it is very minute in nature and absolutely stable. Here we can say that, Sruthi being the smallest division of Swara enables us to not only identify a particular note or Swara, but also the duration of the struck note. There are twelve Swaras and sixteen Swarasthaanas. Sruthi is always considered at the mid-point of a Swara and Naada is such a Swara. It is so complete in nature that it sustains for a very long duration, without being desorbed by any of the sub-tones and their sub-tones. Hence, “Naada” draws maximum attention in music, especially when the music is in a slow tempo or laya or rhythm. So, we can say that sound can be subdivided into non-musical notes, musical notes, intervals of notes, escalation and decaying of notes and last but not the least, the duration for which it remains struck.