Thaats

Recently I learned a little about ragas in Carnatic music, which is prevalent in the south of India. I discussed them here:

• Melakarta ragas.

Now let me give an equally superficial introduction to ragas in Hindustani music, which is prevalent in the north.

In Carnatic music we start with 72 different seven-note scales called ‘Melakarta ragas’, and then build many more ragas by leaving out notes and other tricks. Hindustani music is a bit similar: we start with 32 seven-note scales called ‘th...