To understand the Moorshana system, let us discuss the process in a point form:
1. Gram is a method of setting-up an octave. Gram determines the interval of notes within the octave.
2. There are two Grams in Vedic or Ancient Indian Music.
3. The first and the main gram is ‘Shadaj Gram’ or the Gram of Sa
4. In Vedic music, there are seven Shudh (pure or natural) Svaras.
5. The intervals of modern Shudh notes do not match with this Shudh Octave. The Vedic octave is:
a. Shadaj or Sa on 4th Sharuti
b. Rishav or Re on 7th Sharuti
c. Gandhar or Ga on 9th Sharuti (modern Komal Gandhar!)
d. Madhyam or Ma on 13th Sharuti
e. Pancham or Pa on 17th Sharuti
f. Dhaivat or Dha on 20th Sharuti
g. Nishad or Ni on 22nd Sharuti (modern Komal Nishad!)
If the semitone interval was variable as required in the Just Intonation scale, the Shadaj Gram is:
tone –semitone-tone-tone-tone-semitone-tone
Alternatively, the First Shudh Moorshana of Shadaj Gram is similar to the Dorian Mode. It can also be compared to modern Kafi Thaat which has 3rd and 7th Komal or flat. Keep in mind however, that the Kafi thaat is not first Shudh (pure) Moorshana of Shadaj Gram. It is actually the Rishav Santra Moorshana of Madhyam Gram.
6. There are two Vikrat Notes in Vedic music:
a. Antar Gandar on 11th Sharuti (Perfect third from the root or Modern Shudh Gandhar!) and
b. Kakali Nishad (perfect third from the Fifth or Modern Shudh Nishad!)
7. Thus there are four version of Shadaj Gram:
a. Shudh, containing all natural notes
b. Santra, containing Antar Gandhar instead of the Shudh Gandhar
c. Sakakali, containing Kakali Nishad instead of the Shudh Nishad and
d. Sadharna, containing both Vikrat notes (Antar Gandhar and Kakali Nishad)
8. The four versions of a Gram give birth to four types of Moorshanas.
9. As we know that one Saptak has seven Moorshanas (as described in this post), thus there are 28 Moorshanas in one gram (7×4)
10. Two Grams (Shadaj and Madhyam Gram) have 56 Moorshanas.
To see an example, lets see all four Shadajaa (starting from Shadaj) Moorshanas in the Shadaj Gram:
1. Shadajad Shudh Moorshana : S4, R3, G2, M4, P4, D3. N2
2. Shadajad Santra Moorshana: S4, R3, G4, M2, P4, D3. N2
3. Shadajad Sakakli Moorshana: S2, R3, G2, M4, P4, D3. N4
4. Shadajad Sadharna Moorshana: S2, R3, G4, M2, P4, D3. N4
All other Moorshanas of Shadaj Gram can be created based on the theory above.
For example here are the 7 Shudh Moorshanas of Shadaj Gram:
1. Shadajad Shudh Moorshana : S4, R3, G2, M4, P4, D3, N2
2. Rishavad Shudh Moorshana : R3, G2, M4, P4, D3. N2, S4
3. Gandharad Shudh Moorshana : G2, M4, P4, D3, N2, S4, R3
4. Madhyamad Shudh Moorshana : M4, P4, D3, N2, S4, R3, G2,
5. Panchamad Shudh Moorshana : P4, D3, N2, S4, R3, G2, M4,
6. Dhaivatad Shudh Moorshana : D3, N2, S4, R3, G2, M4, P4,
7. Nishadad Shudh Moorshana : N2, S4, R3, G2, M4, P4, D3
Comparing Shudh Moorshanas of Shadaj Gram with modes:
1. Shadajad Shudh Moorshana is Dorian
2. Rishavad Shudh Moorshana is Phrygian
3. Gandharad Shudh Moorshana is Lydian
4. Madhyamad Shudh Moorshana is Mixolydian
5. Panchamad Shudh Moorshana is Aeolian
6. Dhaivatad Shudh Moorshana is Locrian
7. Nishadad Shudh Moorshana is Ionian
we’re so proud of you.
Dear Sangtar,
Thank you very much for your kind reply. Yes, we have different approaches, but you are right : it is good to be practical. It doesn’t make sense to sing a half-an-hour alap for an untrained public who might find it boring, but the magic of raag is such that we can touch their souls even if they don’t know the difference between Yaman & Tori.
Amazing that you recommand me to read Aacharya Brihaspatee’s books : I am precisely reading “Raag Rahasya”from the same author, in Hindi. Since I am not Indian, it will take me years to read it completely in Hindi.
I like your comparison with birds : I am like them; I mean I might use Vadi & Samvadi, but I am not conscient of that & I don’t want to, because once you grasp the raag bhav, you do not need neither aroh, nor avroh, nor vaadi nor samvaadi, isn’t it ? … Ask the song thrush whether she knows vaadi !
The presence of such features may predate everything, but w/o doubt the conscience of it postdate the original musical creation (I should say discovery since a Raag is not to be created, but discovered – Raag predates us and everything else).
I agree with you that it is a non-sense to pretend that one musical approach is superior to another; when I was talking fusion, I was also referring to the old fusion between original bharatya sangeet and persian + arabian maquams, not only to modern fusion called “World Music. The classical music from Irak is wonderful; it touches the soul in an an fathomable depth. Persian music makes you travel on a flying carpet. This world is magic.
Hari Om,
PS : I am a singer and alto violin + harp player & I live in Rio de Janeiro.
Hi!
Thanks for such great information. Its been really amazing to read about the depth of India’s music. Feel so blessed!
I had one question, Can you please explain moorchanas of Madhyam Gram and connect it to modes as you did for Shadaj Gram?
Your help would really benefit all of us
Regards
is it in the order:
1. Mixolydian
2. Lydian
3. Phrygian
4. Dorian
5. Ionian
6. Locrian
7. Aeolian