Terms

• Aangthe two halves of the octave: purvang (Sa–Ma) and uttarang (Pa–Sa)
• Arohathe notes of a raga going up
• Avarohathe notes of a raga coming down
• Chalanthe typical way a raga's notes move and connect
• Graha Swarthe note a raga performance starts on
• Jaatithe class of a raga by how many notes it uses going up and down
• Janak Ragathe main raga that gives its name to a thaat, like Bhairav
• Nyas Swarthe note a raga likes to pause and rest on
• Pakadthe short phrase that identifies a raga
• Purvang – Uttarangthe lower half (Sa–Ma) and the upper half (Pa–Sa) of the octave
• Ragaa melodic framework of notes, movements and mood
• Samvadithe second most important note of a raga, partner to the vadi
• Thaatone of the ten parent scales that ragas are grouped under
• Vadithe most important note of a raga

• Alamkaraornamentation: the graces and patterns that decorate a melody
• Andolana slow, gentle swing of a note through the microtones around it
• Gamaka strong, deliberate oscillation from one note to the next
• Meenda smooth glide from one note to another
• Meerkhanda mathematical method of building taans from every order of notes
• Murchchanashifting the tonic to another note of the scale to bring out a new raga
• Murkia quick, light cluster of notes, common in thumri
• Saptakthe seven notes Sa Re Ga Ma Pa Dha Ni: one octave
• Sargamsinging a melody with the names of the notes: Sa, Re, Ga, Ma…
• Shrutithe microtones: the finest steps of pitch within the octave
• Varnathe basic note movements that melodic phrases are built from

• Aalapthe slow, free opening that unfolds a raga note by note, without rhythm
• Abhogthe fourth and final section of a dhrupad composition
• Antarathe second part of a composition, moving up to the higher notes
• Asthayeethe first part of a composition, the one it keeps coming back to
• Badhatthe step-by-step growth and elaboration of a raga in a performance
• Bandisha fixed composition, set in a raga and a tala
• Gatan instrumental composition bound to a rhythmic cycle
• Jhalathe fast closing part of an instrumental aalap, played on the drone strings
• Jorthe part of the aalap where a steady pulse comes in
• Pukara striking, calling phrase that grabs the listener's attention
• Sancharithe third section of a dhrupad, ranging over the octaves
• Taana fast run of notes that spreads out a raga
• Vistarthe slow, gradual unfolding of a raga

• Dhrupadthe oldest surviving style of Hindustani classical singing
• Dhuna light, simple instrumental tune
• Gharanaa family tradition: a school of musicians with its own style
• Khayalthe most popular style of Hindustani classical singing today
• Ragmalaa garland of ragas woven into one performance
• Taranaa lively vocal form sung on rhythmic syllables like ta, na, dim

• Layatempo: the rhythmic pulse that carries the music
• Talaa rhythmic cycle with a fixed number of beats
• Tihaia phrase played three times to land on the first beat (sam)

• Praharone of the eight three-hour parts of the day and night
• Prahar 1: Purvanhathe first prahar: early morning, 6am to 9am
• Prahar 2: Madhyanhathe second prahar: late morning, 9am to 12pm
• Prahar 3: Aparanhathe third prahar: midday, 12pm to 3pm
• Prahar 4: Sayanhathe fourth prahar: afternoon, 3pm to 6pm
• Prahar 5: Prodashathe fifth prahar: evening, 6pm to 9pm
• Prahar 6: Nishitathe sixth prahar: night, 9pm to 12am
• Prahar 7: Triyamathe seventh prahar: deep night, 12am to 3am
• Prahar 8: Ushathe eighth prahar: the last watch of the night, 3am to 6am

A

• Aalapthe slow, free opening that unfolds a raga note by note, without rhythm
• Aangthe two halves of the octave: purvang (Sa–Ma) and uttarang (Pa–Sa)
• Abhogthe fourth and final section of a dhrupad composition
• Alamkaraornamentation: the graces and patterns that decorate a melody
• Andolana slow, gentle swing of a note through the microtones around it
• Antarathe second part of a composition, moving up to the higher notes
• Arohathe notes of a raga going up
• Asthayeethe first part of a composition, the one it keeps coming back to
• Avarohathe notes of a raga coming down

B

• Badhatthe step-by-step growth and elaboration of a raga in a performance
• Bandisha fixed composition, set in a raga and a tala

C

• Chalanthe typical way a raga's notes move and connect

D

• Dhrupadthe oldest surviving style of Hindustani classical singing
• Dhuna light, simple instrumental tune

G

• Gamaka strong, deliberate oscillation from one note to the next
• Gatan instrumental composition bound to a rhythmic cycle
• Gharanaa family tradition: a school of musicians with its own style
• Graha Swarthe note a raga performance starts on

J

• Jaatithe class of a raga by how many notes it uses going up and down
• Janak Ragathe main raga that gives its name to a thaat, like Bhairav
• Jhalathe fast closing part of an instrumental aalap, played on the drone strings
• Jorthe part of the aalap where a steady pulse comes in

K

• Khayalthe most popular style of Hindustani classical singing today

L

• Layatempo: the rhythmic pulse that carries the music

M

• Meenda smooth glide from one note to another
• Meerkhanda mathematical method of building taans from every order of notes
• Murchchanashifting the tonic to another note of the scale to bring out a new raga
• Murkia quick, light cluster of notes, common in thumri

N

• Nyas Swarthe note a raga likes to pause and rest on

P

• Pakadthe short phrase that identifies a raga
• Praharone of the eight three-hour parts of the day and night
• Prahar 1: Purvanhathe first prahar: early morning, 6am to 9am
• Prahar 2: Madhyanhathe second prahar: late morning, 9am to 12pm
• Prahar 3: Aparanhathe third prahar: midday, 12pm to 3pm
• Prahar 4: Sayanhathe fourth prahar: afternoon, 3pm to 6pm
• Prahar 5: Prodashathe fifth prahar: evening, 6pm to 9pm
• Prahar 6: Nishitathe sixth prahar: night, 9pm to 12am
• Prahar 7: Triyamathe seventh prahar: deep night, 12am to 3am
• Prahar 8: Ushathe eighth prahar: the last watch of the night, 3am to 6am
• Pukara striking, calling phrase that grabs the listener's attention
• Purvang – Uttarangthe lower half (Sa–Ma) and the upper half (Pa–Sa) of the octave

R

• Ragaa melodic framework of notes, movements and mood
• Ragmalaa garland of ragas woven into one performance

S

• Samvadithe second most important note of a raga, partner to the vadi
• Sancharithe third section of a dhrupad, ranging over the octaves
• Saptakthe seven notes Sa Re Ga Ma Pa Dha Ni: one octave
• Sargamsinging a melody with the names of the notes: Sa, Re, Ga, Ma…
• Shrutithe microtones: the finest steps of pitch within the octave

T

• Taana fast run of notes that spreads out a raga
• Talaa rhythmic cycle with a fixed number of beats
• Taranaa lively vocal form sung on rhythmic syllables like ta, na, dim
• Thaatone of the ten parent scales that ragas are grouped under
• Tihaia phrase played three times to land on the first beat (sam)

V

• Vadithe most important note of a raga
• Varnathe basic note movements that melodic phrases are built from
• Vistarthe slow, gradual unfolding of a raga