This is an alphabetical list of the more important and frequently
used terms in North Indian classical music. If you can think of one that should be included please email
the information to info [at] batish.com
Thank you.
Achal - Fixed
Arohi - Ascending movement a. k. a. Arohana; Aroh
Avirbhav - To make visible the original raga form
Abhoga - Closing movement in a composition
Alaap - Unmetered Raga introduction and expansion; prelude
Andolan - Undulating vibrato
Ang - Style; as in Gayaki Ang-vocal style
Alankar - Ornaments, exercises
Antar Gandhar - Shudha Gandhar
Antara - 2nd Movement in a composition with the melodic progression generally in the uttarang region of the octave and above
Antya - Ending on
Anuvadi - Assonant note
Asthai - 1st movement in a composition with the melodic progression generally in the poorvang region of the octave and below
Asthan - Region; area: as in Mandar Asthan-lower octave region
Ati - Very
Audava - Five notes; pentatonic
Avarohi - Descending movement a. k. a. Avarohana; Avaroh
Bhajan - Devotional song
Bol /s - Sound sylabel /s. as in Tabla Bols
Carnatic - South Indian
Chakra - S. I. Melakarta raga classification. There are 12 Chakras of six ragas each, giving the 72 Melas. See Mela Chart.
Chalan - A systematic raga expansion
Chautalaa - 14 Beatr Cycle
Dadra Tal - Six beat cycle
Deepchandi Tal - Fourteen beat cycle
Dhamar Tal - Fourteen beat cycle
Dhaivata - Sixth musical note (Dha)
Drut - Fast
Ek Tal - Twelve beat cycle
Gandhar - Third musical note (Ga)
Gayaki - Vocal
Geet - Popular song or composition
Ghazal - Urdu poem, vocal song style
Grama - Ancient music scales- Shadaja, Madhyama, and Gandhar Gramas
Hindustani - North Indian
Jati - Tonal classification
Jhaptal - Ten beat cycle
Jhumra Tal - Fourteen beat cycle
Kan - Grace, as in grace note
Keharwa Tal - Eight beat cycle
Komal - Flat
Kriti - Classical composition (used in S. I. music system)
Lakshan - Introduction, definitive principles, or rules
Laya - Tempo
Madhya Saptak - Middle octave region; middle pitch register
Madhya Laya - Medium Tempo
Madhyama - Fourth musical note (Ma)
Mandar - Lower octave region; low pitch register
Manjari - Collection, bouquet
Meend - Slide or glissando
Mela - S. I. Parent mode; 72 in all; See Mela chart
Mishra - Mixed
Mridangam - Barrel shaped drum used in Carnatic classical music
Nada - Sound in general; but applies more to musical sound or else it is considered noise. Nada is of two types: Ahata (struck) and Unahata (un-struck)
Nada Brahma - This universe is sound
Nataka - Drama
Nyasa - Closing note; cadence
Nishadha - Seventh musical note (Ni)
Pakar - Characteristic musical catch phrase of a raga
Panchama - Fifth Musical note (Pa)
Pandit - A learned man; scholar
Poorvang - Lower tetrachord-Sa Re Ga Ma / modified to Sa Re Ga Ma Pa
Prati - Sharp (a. k. a. Tivar)
Raga - Modal scale
Ragini - Feminine gender Modal scale
Rasa - Emotional state. In music there are nine: Shringaar (sensual), Raudra (anger), Hasya (happy), Vibhatsaya (disgust), Veera(heroic), Karuna (sympathy), Bhayanak (fear), Adabhuta (wonder), and Shanta (peace)
Rasik - Tasteful, admirer of beauty, creator of Rasa. Author Pandit S. D. Batish's poetic name
Rishabha - Second musical note (Re)
Rupak Tal - Seven beat cycle
Sanchari - Third movement in a composition encompassing all the regions of the octave; Sanchari means wandering
Sangeet - Musical science
Sampooran - Seven note; heptatonic
Samvadi - Subsonant, the second most important note in a raga
Sandhi Prakash - Sunrise or sunset time periods
Saptak - Octave (Sapt means seven. Indian music does not count repeated notes as a part of the same octave. But saptak and octave basically imply the same meaning)
Sargam - Indian solfegio; derived from the first four notes Sa, Re, Ga, Ma
Shadaja - First musical note (Sa). A. k. a. Kharaja
Shastra - Treatise
Shaudava - Six note; hexatonic
Shruti - Musical microtone; pitch; intonation
Shudha - A pure or a natural note
Swara - Musical note
Swaroop - Image
Tabla - North Indian drum set consisting of the Dagga (bass drum) and the Tabal (Treble drum)
Tal - Rhythm cycle
Tan - An improvised vocal or instrumental musical phrase
Tanpura - String instrument used for drone; Tanpura means to fill the void behind the music; to complete or assist a tan; a. k. a. Tamboora
Tar - Upper octave region; upper pitch register
Tamboora - See Tanpura; made from a gourd (Tumba)
Thaat - Parent scale, parent mode; Thaat means to tie down as in frets
Thumri - Vocal or instrumental song style
Tintal - Sixteen beat cycle
Tirobhav - Deviating or camouflaging from the original. Concealment
Tivar - Sharp
Uttarang - Upper tetrachord-Pa Dha Ni Sa / modified to Ma Pa Dha Ni Sa
Vadi - Sonant. The most important note in a raga
Vakra - Zigzag, indirect, or crooked
Varana - Embellishment, note group
Varjit - Omitted, deleted or avoided note
Vikrit - Modified
Vilambit - Slow
Vivadi - Dissonant note
R. N. I. - Ragas of North India
R. S. I. - Ragas of South India
N. I - North India
S. I. - South India
RRLM - Rasik Raga Lakshan Manjari
