This document provides definitions and descriptions of key terms related to Indian music nomenclature. It discusses the following: 1. Sangeet is defined as the threefold art of vocal, instrumental, and dance music. There are two main streams of Indian music - Hindustani and Carnatic. 2. Naad refers to the essence of music and vibrations/sounds, including ahat naad produced by objects hitting and anahat naad which is the cosmic sound. 3. Raags have specific rules regarding notes used while thaats are scales without salient features. Raags can be sung but thaats cannot. 4. Maseetkhani and Razakhan

1. Nomenclatures
of
Indian Music
PPT © 2024 by Suteekshan Sharma Mungroo is licensed under Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International

2. Sangeet
• “Geetam, Vadhyam Tatha Nrityam, Trayam Sangeetam Uchyate”
Pt. Sharang Dev (Sangeet Ratnakar)
• Sangeet is a three fold art comprising of Vocal, Instrumental and Dance.
• Sangeet has two main streams in India:
1. Hindustani Sangeet Padhati
2. Carnatic Sangeet Padhati.

3. Naad
Naad is the essence of music and is related to vibrations and
sound.
There are 2 types of Naad: Ahat and Anahat.
Ahat Naad
Ahat literally means Struck. Ahat naad is produced when 2 or
more objects hit against each other. There are 2 forms of ahat
naad. Musical sound and Noise.
Anahat Naad
Anahat literally means unstruck! And it is scientifically difficult to
explain. However, in the spiritual and musical world, it is referred
to as the cosmic sound. It is like the sound present in seashells.
Some saints can hear it in a meditative state. In music, some
gurus explain it as the sound that you hear in your mind before
singing or playing it.

4. Raag and Thaat
• Raag-s can have a minimum of 5 notes but thaat MUST
have 7 notes.
• Raag-s have both an aroha and an avroha while thaat
has only an aroha.
• Raag-s can use 2 forms of the same note (shudh and
vikrit) while thaat cannot use both forms of the same
note.
• Raag-s is sung or played whereas thaat is not a matter
of singing.
• Raag-s have salient features whereas thaat does not
have any salient features.

5. Maseetkhani and Razakhani Gat
• Gat is defined as a classical composition which is played on a musical instrument and which bears
the techniques used in playing that specific instrument.
• Maseetkhani Gat is played in Vilambit Laya, set to Teentaal and based on a particular raag. This
form was created by the famous musician Maseet Khan. Maseetkhani gat always starts on the
12th beat and is played using a fixed stroke pattern: dir da, dir da ra, da da ra.
• Razakhani Gat is played in Madhya or drut teentaal. This form was developed by Raza Khan.
Traditional Razakhani gat started on Sam, 5th, 7th, 9th or 13th beat of Teentaal.
• In a classical performance, Razakhani gat is always played after the Maseetkhani gat.

6. Sandhi Prakash Raag-s
• According to the Time theory of raag-s, the time slot 4am to 7am and
4pm to 7pm is known as the Sandhi Prakash Period. “Sandhi” means
meet(milna) and “Prakash” means light. Sandhi Prakash therefore
relates to Twilight: Dawn and Dusk.
• Raag-s sung or played during the Sandhi Prakash period are known as
Sandhi Prakash Raag-s.
• One of the main salient features of Sandhi Prakash raag-s is that the
note Re and Dha are either both komal or one of them is komal.

7. Adhwadarshak Swar
• The term Adhwadarshak is made up with 2 words: Adhwa meaning
half (purvang: noon to midnight and uttarang: midnight to noon) and
darshak means showing or indicating.
• That note which shows or indicates half way in the Time Theory of
Raag-s is referred to as the Ardwadarshak Swar. And that note is the
note Madhyam!
• Predominance of Shudh Madhyam indicates an Uttarang Raag while
predominance of Tivra Madhyam indicates Poorvang Raag.