Sa Re Ga Ma Pa Dha Ni (the Seven notes)

Hello Friends! I thought I include some educational material on the instruments of North India.

From the creation of the universe, the most interesting facet was the concept of sound (nada). In all forms of nature, animate or inanimate, visible or invisible, there is some form of sound present. A human being cannot understand the dog whistle, but a dog will react when this whistle is being played. It is not that the sound does not exist to us, but it is beyond our capacity to hear.

In nature, there are many kinds of sounds, but there are seven representative sounds that exists. The seven sounds of nature are known as suddha swars.

The seven suddha swars are

Sadja, Rsabha, Gandhara, Madhyama, Panchama, Dhaivata, and Nisada.

More commonly known as Sa, Re, Ga, Ma, Pa, Dha, and Ni.

In nature, Sa comes from the sound of the peacock, Re comes from the skylark, Ga from the goat, Ma from the heron, Pa from the nightingale, Dha from the horse, and Ni from the elephant. But nature is not limited to animal sounds. It is also in the form of colors too. These notes also represent colors. Sa is the lotus leaf, Re is red, Ga is golden, Ma in kundan powder, Pa is black, Dha is yellow, and Ni is all of them combined.

Of the seven notes, "Sa" is the most firm note. Without sa, the entire saptak falls apart. The name for Sa is "sadja." It comes from the Sanskrit "sad + aja." In Sanskrit, "Sad" means "six", while "aja" means creator of. The other six notes (R G m P D and N) cannot have true definition unless Sa is defined, because the position of Sa will define where Re, Ga, ma, Pa, Dha, and Ni fall. The next firm note is "Pa." The union of "Sa" and "Pa" represents the perfect union, the perfect harmony. It is so perfect, that madhyam cannot have this fortune of being "achal" (non-moveable).

From the seven notes, there are also hidden notes are not directly from nature, but can be derived from it. Through murchana (transposition) of the saptak (S R G m P D N), five extra notes come out. Flat re, Flat ga, sharp Ma, flat dha, and flat ni. These five notes are known as vikrta swars. The entire sargam is S r R g G m M P d D n N S'.

Up to this point, Western and Indian music will agree of at least 12 notes. But Indian music will divide further into micro-tones called "srutis." There are 22 shrutis. There is a Sanskrit verse explaining the srutis.

"catus catus catus-caiva

sadja madhyama pancamam

dvai dvai nisada gandharau

tristra-rsabha dhaivatah"

There are four srutis for Sa, Ma, and Pa; two srutis for Ni and Ga, and three for Re, and Dha.

4+4+4+2+2+3+3 = 12+4+6=22.

True Indian music uses these srutis. For instance, Raga Darbari Kanhada will use a very flattened version of "komal ga" and "komal dha." A harmonium cannot accurately show this. For sitar player, this special komal ga and dha is done by NOT using the ga or dha frets, but using the Re and Pa fret and doing a unique meend by pulling the string and creating an andolan (one of the requirements of this raga).

Later, I'll post something about ragas. These notes of nature are represented by colors. These colors paint a picture. This picture is called "raga." As Matanga Muni said, "raga is what colors the mind."

Originally posted by: kishore_bhakta

Hello Friends! I thought I include some educational material on the instruments of North India.

From the creation of the universe, the most interesting facet was the concept of sound (nada). In all forms of nature, animate or inanimate, visible or invisible, there is some form of sound present. A human being cannot understand the dog whistle, but a dog will react when this whistle is being played. It is not that the sound does not exist to us, but it is beyond our capacity to hear.

In nature, there are many kinds of sounds, but there are seven representative sounds that exists. The seven sounds of nature are known as suddha swars.

The seven suddha swars are

Sadja, Rsabha, Gandhara, Madhyama, Panchama, Dhaivata, and Nisada.

More commonly known as Sa, Re, Ga, Ma, Pa, Dha, and Ni.

In nature, Sa comes from the sound of the peacock, Re comes from the skylark, Ga from the goat, Ma from the heron, Pa from the nightingale, Dha from the horse, and Ni from the elephant. But nature is not limited to animal sounds. It is also in the form of colors too. These notes also represent colors. Sa is the lotus leaf, Re is red, Ga is golden, Ma in kundan powder, Pa is black, Dha is yellow, and Ni is all of them combined.

Of the seven notes, "Sa" is the most firm note. Without sa, the entire saptak falls apart. The name for Sa is "sadja." It comes from the Sanskrit "sad + aja." In Sanskrit, "Sad" means "six", while "aja" means creator of. The other six notes (R G m P D and N) cannot have true definition unless Sa is defined, because the position of Sa will define where Re, Ga, ma, Pa, Dha, and Ni fall. The next firm note is "Pa." The union of "Sa" and "Pa" represents the perfect union, the perfect harmony. It is so perfect, that madhyam cannot have this fortune of being "achal" (non-moveable).

From the seven notes, there are also hidden notes are not directly from nature, but can be derived from it. Through murchana (transposition) of the saptak (S R G m P D N), five extra notes come out. Flat re, Flat ga, sharp Ma, flat dha, and flat ni. These five notes are known as vikrta swars. The entire sargam is S r R g G m M P d D n N S'.

Up to this point, Western and Indian music will agree of at least 12 notes. But Indian music will divide further into micro-tones called "srutis." There are 22 shrutis. There is a Sanskrit verse explaining the srutis.

"catus catus catus-caiva

sadja madhyama pancamam

dvai dvai nisada gandharau

tristra-rsabha dhaivatah"

There are four srutis for Sa, Ma, and Pa; two srutis for Ni and Ga, and three for Re, and Dha.

4+4+4+2+2+3+3 = 12+4+6=22.

True Indian music uses these srutis. For instance, Raga Darbari Kanhada will use a very flattened version of "komal ga" and "komal dha." A harmonium cannot accurately show this. For sitar player, this special komal ga and dha is done by NOT using the ga or dha frets, but using the Re and Pa fret and doing a unique meend by pulling the string and creating an andolan (one of the requirements of this raga).

Later, I'll post something about ragas. These notes of nature are represented by colors. These colors paint a picture. This picture is called "raga." As Matanga Muni said, "raga is what colors the mind."

AWESOME. Can you please email this to the following addresses:

vineetsingh@ignorance.com

himeshreshamiya@lovestory.com

AadeshSrivastava@arrogance.com

RajeevChamba@besura.com

Thanks for the post. Have not seen your posts for a while. Thanks for this
lovely threadl.

I would like a music-knowlegeble person like Kishore Bhakt to please share his views on the Top 3 of SRGMP.
Your views wud be very unbiased. Please, wud you do so, Sir? Your personal views only and pliz Fans(read fanatics) dont react to his views.

good one
😃
vishupriya

"
vineetsingh@ignorance.com

himeshreshamiya@lovestory.com

AadeshSrivastava@arrogance.com
"

sab bhai bhai hai 😉

THAT WAS GREAT KNOWLEDGE YOU SHARED WITH US PLEASE KEEP ON DOING SO!!

Originally posted by: kishore_bhakta

Hello Friends! I thought I include some educational material on the instruments of North India.

From the creation of the universe, the most interesting facet was the concept of sound (nada). In all forms of nature, animate or inanimate, visible or invisible, there is some form of sound present. A human being cannot understand the dog whistle, but a dog will react when this whistle is being played. It is not that the sound does not exist to us, but it is beyond our capacity to hear.

In nature, there are many kinds of sounds, but there are seven representative sounds that exists. The seven sounds of nature are known as suddha swars.

The seven suddha swars are

Sadja, Rsabha, Gandhara, Madhyama, Panchama, Dhaivata, and Nisada.

More commonly known as Sa, Re, Ga, Ma, Pa, Dha, and Ni.

In nature, Sa comes from the sound of the peacock, Re comes from the skylark, Ga from the goat, Ma from the heron, Pa from the nightingale, Dha from the horse, and Ni from the elephant. But nature is not limited to animal sounds. It is also in the form of colors too. These notes also represent colors. Sa is the lotus leaf, Re is red, Ga is golden, Ma in kundan powder, Pa is black, Dha is yellow, and Ni is all of them combined.

Of the seven notes, "Sa" is the most firm note. Without sa, the entire saptak falls apart. The name for Sa is "sadja." It comes from the Sanskrit "sad + aja." In Sanskrit, "Sad" means "six", while "aja" means creator of. The other six notes (R G m P D and N) cannot have true definition unless Sa is defined, because the position of Sa will define where Re, Ga, ma, Pa, Dha, and Ni fall. The next firm note is "Pa." The union of "Sa" and "Pa" represents the perfect union, the perfect harmony. It is so perfect, that madhyam cannot have this fortune of being "achal" (non-moveable).

From the seven notes, there are also hidden notes are not directly from nature, but can be derived from it. Through murchana (transposition) of the saptak (S R G m P D N), five extra notes come out. Flat re, Flat ga, sharp Ma, flat dha, and flat ni. These five notes are known as vikrta swars. The entire sargam is S r R g G m M P d D n N S'.

Up to this point, Western and Indian music will agree of at least 12 notes. But Indian music will divide further into micro-tones called "srutis." There are 22 shrutis. There is a Sanskrit verse explaining the srutis.

"catus catus catus-caiva

sadja madhyama pancamam

dvai dvai nisada gandharau

tristra-rsabha dhaivatah"

There are four srutis for Sa, Ma, and Pa; two srutis for Ni and Ga, and three for Re, and Dha.

4+4+4+2+2+3+3 = 12+4+6=22.

True Indian music uses these srutis. For instance, Raga Darbari Kanhada will use a very flattened version of "komal ga" and "komal dha." A harmonium cannot accurately show this. For sitar player, this special komal ga and dha is done by NOT using the ga or dha frets, but using the Re and Pa fret and doing a unique meend by pulling the string and creating an andolan (one of the requirements of this raga).

Later, I'll post something about ragas. These notes of nature are represented by colors. These colors paint a picture. This picture is called "raga." As Matanga Muni said, "raga is what colors the mind."

Thank you so much Kishorbhakt.Yes, please give us your opinions like someone else requested.Really looking forward to some unbiased views.

But please could analyse all the singers who you thought were/are good.I won't comment on your observations,just want to hear from a knowledgable person and learn a few things about good music.

Please don't take offence Dwarka,you are also very good.

And Ashique.....that was fantastic!😆👏

Akshata

Kishore da I do not know much about music but it is very informative.. thanks...
And Aashiq yaar tera deemagh bahut sharp hain yaar kaya zabardast likhte ho..

Originally posted by: SRGMP FAN

I would like a music-knowlegeble person like Kishore Bhakt to please share his views on the Top 3 of SRGMP.
Your views wud be very unbiased. Please, wud you do so, Sir? Your personal views only and pliz Fans(read fanatics) dont react to his views.

Kishore ji

Now this was due for long time.
You cant force us to read trash with members like you being around.
I sincerely request you to plz do an analysis of final 3 singers as many have requested, trust me we shall be around & wont let people bash you.

Im eagerly waiting for next post o raags.
Thanks