SWARA AND SHRUTI

In Indian Classical Music , from  the Vedic ages , the saints and Gurus  have studied all the various aspects of sound. A study on music over the long period of time has given a lot of insight into the  various aspects to understand Music .

Thus it is said that , any sound that is pleasing to the ear and  sounds melodious is MUSIC OR Sangeet.    . Sound is known as NAAD in sanskrit. Thus Naad Can be of two types one is NOISE and the other is MUSIC.

The Naada In the Normal audible range to a human ear is taken as  an OCTAV or SAPTAK in Hindustani Classical music .The notes in this Range which can be sung as a Melody and which form the basis of Music are The SAPTA SWARAS. Before writing more about the Swaras , I would like to write a little about NAADA

NAADA as I mentioned is the range of sound audible to our ears. There are 22 SHRUTIS recognised within this range that can be used for musical purpose. The SEVEN SWARAS within the 22 SHRUTIS is known as the SAPTAK. The SAPTAK has 7 swaras or notes These are :SA, RE,GA, MA,PA,DHA,NI. These are abbreviations of their names.The names of the SAPTASWARAS are

1.SHADJA– SA,                                     5 . PANCHAM–PA

2,RISHABH–RE                                    6. DHAIVAT–DHA

3. GANDHARA–GA                              7. NISHAD—NI

4. MADHYAM–MA                               8. SHADJA—SA(Taar)

These 7 swaras are basis to all music .These seven notes form one OCTAVE or SAPTAK..The first note  SA (taar)is repeated after NI while singing or playing them This normal range of swaras is known as the MADHYA SAPTAK. The octave lower than this range is known as the MANDRA SAPTAK  and the octave higher then the mid range is called TAAR SAPTAK.

THE SWARAS: The swaras or notes have been known to be conceived from  sounds heard in nature. Thus ,the seven notes and their relation to nature is

SA        . ,Cry of the Peacock

RE         The Lowing of the Bull

GA/        The Bleating of the goat

MA          The Call of the Heron

PA           The Call of the Cuckoo

DHA         The Neighing of the Horse

NI             The Trumpeting of the Elephant

The seven swaras  are also known to be associated with planets and colors. Each Swara is also  associated with each of the seven CHAKRAS in our bodies.Thus singing the swaras gives immense peace and calms our minds.It has a positive effect on our body , and mind. This has been discussed elaborately in one of the articles here on Music Therapy.

THE SWARAS IN ASOCIATION WITH PLANETS;

SA–MERCURY ,  GREEN          PA–SATURN, BLUE OR BLACK

RE–MARS, RED                    DHA–JUPITER, YELLOW

GA–SUN , GOLDEN                     NI—VENUS, MULTI COLOR

MA–MOON, WHITE

 

These seven notes in the octave are known as shudh swaras. Apart from these 7 notes ,there are some more notes , these are called the VIKRIT swaras. The basic swaras all have a particular position or frequency in the octave. the notes which are higher or lower than the basic notes are known as VIKRIT SWARAS . SA and PA do not have VIKRIT swars . they are known as the ACHAL SWAR or the swaras which do not move from their positions. The rest of the swars are CHAL swaras or the notes which can be moved from their position.

The VIKRIT SWARS are of two types ,KOMAL and TEEVRA . KOMALswar is the one which is moved down by one note than its original position . RE, GA,and DHA have KOMAL swars. They are represented by putting a horizontal line under the note while writing. The TEEVRA SWAR  is one note higher in position than its orignal note. There is only one TEEVRA Swar, its MA. while writing the Teevra  swar its denoted by putting a vertical line above the note. Thus in an octave 12 swaras are used musically to frame them into raagas.

The Tanpura is always tuned to the SA_ PA  swaras .or SA and MA  depending on the raaga.

Thus the order of swaras is:

SA,komal RE,Shudh RE,Komal GA, ShudhGA, MA, TeevraMA, PA,Komal DHA,Shudh DHA,Komal NI,Shudh NI, SA(TaarShadja)

The ascending order of the swaras is known as the AROHEE, and the descending order is known as the AVAROHI. The aroh-avaroh form the structure of the Raga.

By combining the shudh and Vikrit swaras in different ways the Raagas have come into being. The ancient Indian Texts have given many set of rules, which has given us so many Raagas which we listen even to this day.

The students and performers of Classical Music practice these swaras  ,in various permutations and combinations which form the Alankars .By practicing the swaras of the lower Octave early in the morning ,gives amazing voice quality and strength, thus enabling the singer to develop a ability to sing any swar combination in Raaga Music.

SHRUTIS : There are 22 shrutis  in an Octave. Shrutis are the notes which can be recognised by the human ear and can be sung . They are like microtones..It can be said that the main seven swaras have small microtones within them..SA (shadja) , Ma(madhyam) and Pa(pancham) have 4 microtones or shrutis each. Gandhar and NI(Nishad) 2 shrutis each and Re(rishabh) and Dha(dhaivat) have 3 shrutis each.

The shloka that describes the Shrutis  is,

chatush chatush chatushchaiva  shadja madhyam panchama . 

Dwai dwai nishad gandharo, tisri rishabh dhaivato .

All  the 22 shrutis have names too. The Seven notes that are sung now are all placed on the  first  microtone in their respective shrutis. .This establishes the link between the theory and practice of Classical Music.Understanding the swaras and practicing music is very rejuvenating and brings one close to the Almighty  .

 

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