Thaat Instrumental… Kafi & Khamaj (Audio CD)

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The Kafi thaat consists of seven notes where the 3rd note 'Ga' (gandhar) & the 7th not 'Ni' (Nishad) are used as komal (flat). The ragas belonging to the Kafi thaat bear characteristic resemblance to the musical scale of thaat, but have distinctly unique features of their own, in terms of the arrangement of notes as well as the time of the day they are associated with. Raga Kafi is the prime raga of this thaat.

Pattern of swaras in the thaat are Sa Re Ga(f) Ma Pa Dha Ni(f)
1. Raga Sindura

Five notes in the ascent (aroha) and 7 notes in the descent (avaroha)
Both notes 'Ni' and 'Ga' are flat
Prime note is 'Sa'
Arohana (ascent)- Sa Re Ma Pa, Dha Sa(h)
Avarohana (descent)- Ni(f) Dha Sa, Pa Ma Ga(f), Re Ma Ga(f), Re Sa
2. Raga Miyan ki Malhar

Seven notes in the ascent (aroha) and 6 notes in the descent (avaroha)
Both the flat and sharp 'Ni' are applied and 'Ga' is also flat
Prime note is 'Ma'
Arohana (ascent)- Re Ma Re Sa, Ma Re, Pa, Ni(f) Dha, Ni Sa
Avarohana (descent)- Sa Ni(f) Pa, Ma Pa, Ga(f) Ma, Re Sa
3. Raga Hansdhwani

Five notes are used, as 'Ma' and 'Dha' are excluded
All notes are gegular
Peime note is 'Sa'(h)
Arohana (ascent)- Sa Re Ga Re, Ga Pa, Ni Sa(h)
Avarohana (descent)- Re Sa(h) Ni Pa, Ga Re, Sa

Thaat Khamaj

The Khamaj thaat consists of seven notes where the 7th note 'Ni' (nishad) is used kimal (flat). The ragas belonging to the khamaj thaat bear characteristic to the musical scale of thaat, but have distincitly unique features of their own, in terms of the arrangement of notes as well as the time of the day they are associated with. Raga khamaj is the prime raga of this thaat.

Pattern of swaras in the thaat are Sa Re Ga Ma Pa Dha Ni (f)
4. Raga Jaijaiwanti

All seven notes are used.
Both the flat and sharp 'Ga' and 'Ni' are applied
Prime note is 'Re'
Arohana (ascent)- Sa Re Re Ga, Ga Ma Pa, Ma Pa Ni Ni Sa(h)
Avarohana (descent)- Sa(h) Ni(f) Dha Pa, Dha Pa Ma Ga(f), Re Ga(f) Re Sa

5. Raga Manj Khamaj

This raga belong to the khamaj thaat but has however, found its way into the Hindustani classical system only in the recent past.

6. Raga Tilang

Five notes are used, as 'Re' and 'Dha' are excluded
Both the flat and sharp 'Ni' are used
Prime note is 'Ga'
Arohana (ascent)- Sa Ga Ma Pa Ni Sa(h)
Avarohana (descent)- Sa(h) Ni(f) Pa, Ma Ga, Sa
Glossary: I- Low scale, h-High scale, f-Flat note & s- Sharp note
The 10 thaat-s are: Bilawal, Kalyan, Khamaj, Bhairav, Puri, Marwa, Kafi, Asavari, Bhairavi and Todi.

Although entire ragas in themselves, the thaat-s provide a framework for the system as a whole. The notation of a thaat, which describes its musical framework, is quite defferent from the characteristic agrrangement and progression of notes during rendition through a raga. It is exposition that gives a raga its pakad (peculiarity) and chalan (character). Every, thaat consist of seven notes or swaras but with different characteristic (chalan).

Thaat is one of the most fundamental bases of classification in the Hindustani classical system. Developed by the learned musicological Vishnu Narayan Bhatkande, that offers a framework to classify several ragas based on their musical scales. The Hindustani classical music system has thus, 10 thaat-s. each that is a raga in itself and stands as a proud parent to several raga that belongs to its family.

This album features vocal renditions of the popular ragas belonging to Thaat Kafi & Thaat Khamaj by the legends of classical music.