Jati - Tonal Classification

The number of notes in ascending or descending movements of a Raga is called its Jati. There are three basic Jatis: 1. Sampooran -containing seven notes, 2. Shaudava - containing six notes, and 3. Audava - containing five notes. Since a Raga may have any combination of ascending and descending notes six more Jatis making a total of 9 Jatis are computed as follows

  • 1. Sampooran / Sampooran: Ragas in this classification will have all the seven notes in the ascending as well as descending movements.
  • 2. Sampooran / Shaudava: Ragas in this Jati will have seven notes while ascending and six notes while descending.
  • 3. Sampooran / Audava: Ragas in this category will have seven notes while ascending and only five notes while descending.
  • 4. Shaudava / Sampooran: Six note ascending and seven descending.
  • 5. Shaudava / Shaudava: Six notes ascending six descending.
  • 6. Shaudava / Audava: Six ascending and five descending.
  • 7. Audava / Sampooran: Five ascending and seven descending.
  • 8. Audava / Audava: Five ascending and five descending.
  • 9. Audava / Shaudava: Five ascending and six descending. To explain the above further, here are two examples of Jati classifications:

    Raga Khammaj: The Jati of this Raga is Shaudava / Sampooran. In its ascending movement (Arohi) there are only six notes:

  • Sa Ga Ma Pa Dha Ni Sa(u) and its descending movement (Avarohi) is Sampooran (heptatonic):

  • Sa Ni(b) Dha Pa Ma Ga Re Sa

    Raga Asavari: The Jati of this Raga is Audava / Sampooran. It has five notes in the ascending movement thus:

  • Sa Re Ma Pa Dha(b) Sa(u)

    and seven notes while descending:

  • Sa(u) Ni(b) Dha(b) Pa Ma Ga(b) Re Sa


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