Raagam Thalam Sruthi

Table of Contents

Carnatic Music has been classified under Indian Classical Music, as the tone and the compositions of the songs is filled with the rich Indian Culture and Heritage. Raagam in Carnatic music itself is an encyclopaedia, but equal importance has to be given for Thalams and Sruthi.

The style of carnatic compositions stand out even in the world arena, and people automatically recognise the style to be something that represents India. What makes this style so unique and a signature of our country? It’s Raagam, Thalam and Sruthi. Any Classical Musician would love it, when all these three align.

Raagam

This is considered as the heart of South Indian Classical music. Raagam, a Sanskrit word means “something that colors your mind“. In Tamil South Indian classical music Raagam is known as Nadham.

Raagam or Nadham means which gives a melodious sound to our ears with the combination of various Swaras in one Sruthi and various bents (Gamakkas). A different combination of Swaras with respective Swarasthanas gives different Ragas. Each Raagam in Carnatic Music has its own uniqueness and speciality.

Rāagam is more about passion for the outcome rather than passion for the action in itself. – Paul Harvey

In our Carnatic Music, the particular speciality or uniqueness is the format of Raga. No other country has Raagam, the King of Carnatic Music. A range of emotions like happiness, sadness, devotion, joy, romance and yearning can be explained through Raagam because each has their own emotions.

An artist must be capable of singing at least one Raagam in his/her performance or concert on stage. He or she has to know the rules of the particular Raagam that he or she is going to perform on stage. Knowing the rules of the Raagam will help the artist to focus on aesthetics.

Types Of Raagams

In ancient tamil Raagam was known as “Pan”

Janaka Raagam in Carnatic Music is popularly known as “Thaai Raagam” . It has its own characteristics and speciality. In technical terms, Janaka Raagam is denoted as Melam, Mela Karta, Karta Raagam, Samooorna Ranga Raagam”.

Characteristics of Janaka Raga

It should be a Sampoorna Raagam (must contain all the Saptha Swaras both in Aarohanam and Avarohanam).
Both in Aarohana and Avarohana the Swaras should be aligned properly.
The same type of Swaras must be placed in both Aarohana and Avarohana.
Both Arohanam and Avarohanam must contain the Tara Stayi Shadjamam.

With the same characteristics and rules totally there are 72 Janaka Ragas in our Carnatic music. These 72 Janaka Ragas are known as “72 Melakartha Raagams“

Example

Maaya Malava Gowlai
Sankarabharanam
Kalyani
Bhairavi, etc.

Janya Raagam

In simple words, the Janya Raagam in Carnatic Music is nothing but Child Raagam. In our Carnatic Music, this Janya Raagam has originated from Janaka Raagam. (ie) in simple words Mother Raagam. In Tamil it is Thaai Raagam.

A Janya Raagam takes the swaras from the Janaka Raagam and gives a new Raagam.

While classifying Child Raagam as Audava, Shadava and Sampoorna ragas we get eight types of Janya Raagams. Audava Raagam has 5 Swaras, Shadava Raagam has 6 Swaras and Sampoorna has 7 Swaras.

Classification Of Janya Raga

Janya Raagam is classified into 4 major types. These classifications are based on the Swaras present in both Arohana and Avaroharana.

The classifications are

Varja Raagam
Vakra Raagam
Upanga Raagam
Pashanga Raagam

Varja Raagam

In this kind of Janya Raagam if there are missing elements in both Aarohana and Avarohana then it is said to be Varja Raagam.

Example

In Hamsadwani Raagam, the Swaras Ma (Madhyamam) and Dha (Dheivadham) will be missing in both Aarohanam and Avarohanam. So this is considered to be a Varja Raagam.

Vakra Raga

In Sanskrit the term Vakra represents “to be unstable or in disorder“. This kind of Raagam has the tendency to change its series either in Arohana or Avarohana.

Example

Sahana Raagam
Aro: Sa, Ri, Ga, Ma, Pa, Dha, Ni, Sa
Ava: Sa, Ni, Dha, Pa, Ma, Ga, Ma, Ri, Ga, Ri, Sa

Upanga Raagam

The Janya Raagam that takes the Swaras and Swarasthaanas from the Janaka Raagam is called Upanga Raagam in carnatic Music.

Example

Hamsadvani
Mohanam
Pantuvaraali
Abogi etc.

The same Raagam can be either Vakra Raagam or Varja Raagam or Upanga Raagam.

Pashanga Raagam

The Janaka Raagam that adds some Swaras with already existing Swaras in the respective Janya Raagam is called Pashanga Raagam.

Example

Kamboji
Bhairavi
Saranga etc.

Thalam

In South Indian Classical Music, Thalam means a beat that is used to measure time or rhythm cycle. In simple words, it is also called “Tempo” – a structured form to measure the time of the song. Thalam helps to maintain the perfect rhythm of the song constantly. In Tamil Thalam is known as “Pan”. This is considered to be the basic fundamental of Carnatic Music.

Classification Of Thaala

In Carnatic Music, there are 7 main Thaalas that we learn and practice. These are popularly called “Saptha Thaalas”.

These Sapta Thaalas has particular 3 Angas. Even the Aadhi Thalam has these 3 angas.

3 Angas Of Thalam

These Angas form a Thalam structure. There are 6 different Angas in the ancient period. But at present time we are following only 3 Angas. They are as follows with their symbols and explanations below:

| represents LAGU
O represents DRITHAM
U represents ANU-DRITHAM

In Thalam Lagu represents 1 beat followed by fingers.
Dritham means 1 beat followed by 1 flip over
Anu-Dritham means 1 beat followed by 1/2 flip over.

These are the 3 main Angas of Thalam in our South Indian Classical Music.

Jathis In Thalam

In South Indian Classical Music, Jathis can be seen in Alankarams which comes after Thaatu Varisai. The Lagu varies completely based on Jathi. Jathi are words used to mention beats in dance. These Jathis can be classified into 5 types as per their counts.

Classification Of A Jathi:

The Jathi can be classified as per the Lagu. The classifications are as follows.

Thisra Jathi – The Thisra Jathi has 3 beats. An artist uses 3 Aksharakalam while performing Thisra Jathi.
Chathusra Jathi- The Chathusra Jathi has 4 beats. The famous Adhi Thalam is Chathusra Triouta Thalam
Kanda Jathi – The Kanda Jathi has 5 beats. An artist uses 5 Aksharas while performing Kanda Jathi Thalam
Misra Jathi – The Misra Jathi has 7 beats. An artist uses 7 Aksharas while performing Misra Jathi.
Sankeerna Jathi- The Sankeerna Jathi has 9 beats. An artist uses 9 Aksharas while performing Sankeerna Jathi.

7 kinds of Thalam with 5 Jathis form 35 Thalams. These Thalams are sometimes called “Sooladhi Thalam”.

These Jathis are applicable only for Lagu and not for Dhritham or Anu Dhritham.

Swaras that are specifically arranged to explain these Thalams are called Alankarams. Practicing Arohana and Avarohana of a Raagam in the form of Alankara will be helpful to perform Kalpana Swarams and RTP on the stage for the artist.

Sruthi

In South Indian Classical Music or Carnatic Music SRUTHI is considered to be the most important for both singing vocals and playing instruments. The appropriate meaning or translation for Sruthi in English is PITCH. SRUTHI is the word derived from our ancient language Sanskriti.

Did You Know?

Carnatic music is based on gamakas, which is the exact opposite of Western Classical music. In Western Classical music, ornamentation of notes is not considered classical. This makes Carnatic music unique.

Importance Of Sruthi

Sruthi or Pitch is the most important factor in South Indian Classical Music. Even Sruthi is considered as Mother which is commonly known as Sruthi – Matha.

The origin of swaras is based on the Sruthi and a combination of the Swaras and their prospective Swarasthanas in which a Raagam originated. Each Swarasthanas is different for each Raagam. So one individual has to keep on practicing with Sruthi to present a Raagam in carnatic Music.

The sound that helps to create a harmonious or melodious sound to the human ears is known as Pitch or Sruthi. The pitch that goes with the song we sing or the song we play in the instrument is known as Sruthi. One should make sure of practicing in the respective perfect Sruthi or Pitch to give the best performance on stage.

Swaras

In South Indian classical music there are two most important basic aspects to know. They are Swaras and Swarasthanas.

SWARAS are nothing but words. In musical language, it is known as NOTATIONS. (Sa Ri Ga Ma Pa Dha Ni Sa). Swarsthanas are nothing but the placement of swaras. Each swara has a unique placement. Swarasthanams are the identification of each Swara. It differs for each raga. To identify these Swarathanas, Sruthi is important. In the same way, Sruthi helps to bridge the gap between the measured values of Swarasthanas. Even the gap, calculation, beat, and count are accurately designed by our ancestors from ancient times. To learn or sing or perform well with manodharma listening to a concert or song is most important.

Let us see an example below to know how the Swarathanas get differentiated with their respective SRUTHI from one Raagam in carnatic Music to another one.

Examples

Raagam Begada Janya Raagam of Sankarabaranam (differs in Madhyamam (Ma))
Raagam Saveri Janya Raagam of Mayamalava Gowlai (differs in Dhaivatham (Dha))

Swarasthanas

In the same way, the Swarasthanas originated from the same Raagam get differentiated in their SRUTHI and showcase the significance of the Raagam. Hence while singing these kinds of Raagam we have to feel the depth of the Raagam with its Sruthi and Swarasthanas. To make this easy to understand. legends have given us their compositions.

For eg: ” Sangeetha Magarantham by SHRI. Naradharar, Natya Sastra BY Bharathar, ” Etc.

Later on in the 13th century the Great legend Sarangadevar’s ” Sangeertha Rathnagaram” has a clear explanation about 22 Sruthi. Based on this alone all the 72 Melakartha Raagam has been designed.

In Carnatic music as we all know there are 7 Swaras (basic). In these 7 Swaras Sa and Pa remain constant (no change in Sruthi), Whereas all the other 5 swaras Ri, Ga, Ma, Pa, Dha, Ni have their own 4 kinds of Sruthi Intervals.

We are all aware that 7 Swaras get expanded as 12 Swarathanas, the same way each Swarathanas carries 2 Sruthi so it gets expanded as 22 swaras keenly.

Classifications Of Sruthi

There are furthermore classifications of Sruthi as follows:

In South Indian classical music we can see various Sruthi like 1/4, 1/2, 3/4, 1/8, 1/12.

Sruthi or Pitch can be classified into 2 types.

Panchama Sruthi means the general Sruthi, where we use MADHYAMA STAYI SHADJAM as the base.

Madhyama Sruthi means we take Madhyamam as the base of Shadjam.

On a basic note, a Sruthi varies for every individual singer. There will be differences between a male and a female voice. Kids Sruthi is completely different.

A male can sing between 1/2 to 2 (low pitch) whereas a female can sing in 4 to 6 (high pitch). Popularly Sruthi A(6) is used for kids.

For every person Stayi is based on their Sruthi. In Carnatic Music Stayi refers to Octave or Range. Stayi can be classified into three types.

Classifications Of Stayi

Raagam in Carnatic music is the most essential part or in other words a heartbeat. They provide a structured framework for improvisation and add more expressions to the song. Learning and performing Raagam is a great rewarding process that needs more patience, dedication, and concentration. Just like Raagam, Thalam and Shruthi are also equally important. When one falls short of even one out of the three, the song is going to out of tune and rhythm.

Learn more on Sankarabharanam Ragam, an majestic raga, in music often called the “Janaka Ragam” in carnatic Music? This term implies that it is the father or originator of ragas. It’s fascinating to note that over 300 ragas have evolved from the structures of Sankarabharanam highlighting its influence and importance, in Indian classical music.