Core Concepts of Indian Music

2026-01-03

Indian classical music is built on a rich and complex system of concepts that have been developed and refined over centuries. Understanding these concepts is essential to appreciating the depth and beauty of this art form.

Dhwani and Nada

  • Dhwani refers to sound in general. It is the raw material of music.
  • Nada is a more specific term that refers to musical sound. It is a sound that has a discernible pitch and is pleasing to the ear. Nada is considered to be the life force of music and is often associated with the cosmic sound of 'Om'.

Shruti

Shruti is the smallest interval of pitch that the human ear can detect. In Indian classical music, an octave is divided into 22 shrutis. These microtonal intervals are the building blocks of the swaras (musical notes). While Western music uses a 12-tone equal temperament scale, Indian music uses a system of just intonation, which allows for a much greater variety of melodic expression.

Swara

A swara is a musical note. There are seven basic swaras in Indian music, which are analogous to the Western solfege system:

  • Sa (Shadja)
  • Re (Rishabha)
  • Ga (Gandhara)
  • Ma (Madhyama)
  • Pa (Panchama)
  • Dha (Dhaivata)
  • Ni (Nishada)

Out of these seven, Sa and Pa are fixed notes, while the other five (Re, Ga, Ma, Dha, Ni) can be either shuddha (natural) or vikrit (modified), giving a total of 12 notes in an octave.

Raag

A Raag (or Raga) is a melodic framework for improvisation and composition. It is a set of rules and patterns that define a specific melodic mood. Each raag is characterized by:

  • A specific set of notes.
  • A particular ascending and descending structure (aroha and avaroha).
  • A dominant note (vadi) and a sub-dominant note (samvadi).
  • Characteristic melodic phrases (pakad).

There are hundreds of raags in Indian classical music, each with its own unique emotional character.

Taal

A Taal (or Tala) is a rhythmic cycle. It is a repeating pattern of beats that provides the rhythmic foundation for a musical performance. Each taal has a specific number of beats (matras) and a particular pattern of accented and unaccented beats. Some of the most common taals in Hindustani music are Tintal (16 beats), Ektal (12 beats), and Dadra (6 beats).