THAT SCALE

Figure 1: Here are the scale notes for some that. For ease of comparison, it is assumed that each raga is beginning on a (Western) C. Notice that the pattern of half step, whole step, and minor third intervals is unique to each that. Do you notice anything else? (Answer is below, in the section on tuning.)

Some Example That

About Thaath

According to Vishnu Narayan Bhatkhande (1860-1936), one of the most influential musicologists in the field of North Indian classical music in the twentieth century, each one of the several traditional ragas is based on, or is a variation of, ten basic thaats, or musical scales or frameworks. The ten thaats are Bilawal, Kalyan, Khamaj, Bhairav, Poorvi, Marwa, Kafi, Asavari, Bhairavi and Todi; if one were to pick a raga at random, it should be possible to find that it is based on one or the other of these thaats. For instance, the ragas Shree and Puriya Dhanashri are based on the Poorvi thaat, Malkauns on the Bhairavi, and Darbari Kanada on the Asavari thaat. It is important to point out that Bhatkande's thaat-raga theory is hardly infallible, but it is nevertheless an important classificatory device with which to order, and make sense of, a bewildering array of ragas; and it is also a useful tool in the dissemination of the music to students.

It is worth noting that almost all the thaats mentioned above are also ragas; and yet a thaat is a very different musical entity from a raga, and in this difference may lie, crucially, a definition of what a raga is or is not. A thaat is a musical scale, conceived of as a Western musical scale might be, with the seven notes presented in their order of ascent (arohan). For instance, Asavari is presented, and notated, as Sa Re Ga (flat or komal) Ma Pa Dha (flat) Ni (flat) in ascent, or arohan. This is, however, only the skeletal musical structure of the raga Asavari, an abstraction that is to be found nowhere but on the printed page or inside a textbook; the raga Asavari, in reality, and in exposition, is a very different thing. It goes straight from Re to Ma, and comes down to touch Ga, as it ascends; having touched Ni later, it returns to Pa, and, touching the upper Sa, returns to Dha and Pa again and again. Arohan and avarohan are, thus, inextricably and inseparably intermingled in the structure of this raga. The raga, then, is not a musical scale in the Western sense; it is a characteristic arrangement or progression of notes whose full potential and complexity can be realised only in exposition, and not upon the printed page. A condensed version of this characteristic arrangement of notes, peculiar to each raga, may be called the pakad, by which a listener hears the phrase Sa Re Ga Ma Pa Ga, none of these notes being flat or sharp. Repeated in a recital, they will know that they are listening to the raga Gaud Sarang.

Two ragas may have identical notes and yet be very different ragas; for example, two ragas mentioned earlier, Shree and Puriya Dhanashri, have exactly the same notes, but are unmistakably different in structure and temperament. The first can be identified by its continual exploration of the relationship of the note Re to the note Paa; while the repetition of the phrase Ma Re Ga Re Ma Ga, a phrase that would be inadmissible in the first raga, is an enduring feature of the latter. Certain arrangements of notes, then, are opposite to particular ragas and taboo to all others. A simple and abstract knowledge, thus of the notes of a raga or the thaat on which it is based, is hardly enough to ensure a true familiarity or engagement with the raga, although it may serve as a convenient starting point. Thaat familiarity can only come from a constant exposure to, and critical engagement, with raga's exposition.

For further information pertinent to the definition of a raga, please refer to the glossary.

Raag In Kalyan

	Shuddha Kalyan
	Yaman
	Hameer
	Hindol
	Bhupali
	Kamod
	Chhayanat
	Shyam Kalyan
	Nand
	Kedar
	Gaud Sarang
	Yaman Kalyan
	Chandni Kedar

Kalyan

Raga Kalyan belongs to Kalyan Thaat. It is an evening Raga. It uses all the seven notes, five of them in the ascent and seven of them in the descent. It uses tivra (sharp) Madhyam and all other notes are shuddha (full). The derivative ragas out of this structure are grouped under the broad head of Kalyan Thaat.

The lyrics and an interpretation of the bandishes in this section are now available when you select the audio clip against each raga under a thaat.

Raag In Thaat Asavari

Jaunpuri Desi Dev Gandhar Asavari Adana Darbari Kanhada Kaunsi Kanhada Asavari Raga Asavari belongs to Asavari Thaat. It is a late morning Raga, and uses all seven notes, five in the ascent and seven in the descent. Gandhar, Dhaivat and Nishad are komal (flat) and the other notes are shuddha (full). The derivative ragas out of this structure are grouped under the broad head of Asavari Thaat. The lyrics and an interpretation of the bandishes in this section are now available when you select the audio clip against each raga under a thaat.

Raag In Thaat Poorvi

Lalit Paraj Basant Puriya Dhanashri Shree Poorvi Poorvi Raga Poorvi belongs to Poorvi Thaat. It is a Sandhiprakash Raga, and is rendered at dusk, that is the time when the day ends. It uses all seven notes in the ascent and the descent. Rishabh and Dhaivat are komal (flat), Madhyam is both shuddha and tivra while Gandhar and Nishad are shuddha (full). The derivative ragas out of this structure are grouped under the broad head of Poorvi Thaat. The lyrics and an interpretation of the bandishes in this section are now available when you select the audio clip against each raga under a thaat.

Raag In Thaat Bilawal

	Kaushik Dhwani
	Durga
	Hemkalyan
	Nat Bihag
	Bihagada
	Hamsadhwani
	Deshkar
	Shankara
	Alahiya-Bilawal
	Bihag

Bilawal

Raga Bilawal is derived from Bilawal Thaat. It is a morning Raga, and uses all the seven notes in the ascending and descending order. All notes are shuddha (full). The derivative ragas out of this structure are grouped under the broad head of Bilawal Thaat.

The lyrics and an interpretation of the bandishes in this section are now available when you select the audio clip against each raga under a thaat.

Raag In Thaat Todi

	Multani
	Todi
	Gurjari Todi
	Lilavati

Todi

Raga Todi belongs to Todi Thaat. It is a morning Raga, and uses all seven notes in the ascent and descent. Rishabh, Gandhar and Dhaivat are komal (flat), Madhyam is Tivra while Nishad is Shuddha. The derivative ragas out of this structure are grouped under the broad head of Todi Thaat.

The lyrics and an interpretation of the bandishes in this section are now available when you select the audio clip against each raga under a thaat.

Raag In Thaat Bhairav

Nat Bhairav Kalingada Ahir-Bhairav Jogia Ramkali Bhairav Vibhas Gauri Gunkali Bhairav Raga Bhairav belongs to Bhairav Thaat. It is an early morning Raga, using all seven notes in the ascent and in the descent. Rishabh and Dhaivat are komal (flat) and the other notes are shuddha (full). The derivative ragas out of this structure are grouped under the broad head of Bhairav Thaat. The lyrics and an interpretation of the bandishes in this section are now available when you select the audio clip against each raga under a thaat.