Here are the ten Thaats and their notes. Only Vikrat (sharp and flat) notes are shown here. That means all other notes are natural.
Thaat Name | Vikrat or Moved Notes (flats and Sharps) |
1. Bilaval | None (all natural) |
2. Khamaj | Nee Komal or seventh flat |
3. Kafi | Ga, Nee Komal or third and seventh flat |
4. Asavari | Ga, Dha, Nee Komal or third, sixth and seventh flat |
5. Bhairavi | Re, Ga, Dha, Nee, Komal or second, third, sixth and seventh flat |
6. Kaliaan | Ma Tivar or fourth sharp |
7. Marva | Re Komal Ma Tivar or second flat and fourth sharp |
8. Pooravi | Re, Dha Komal, Ma Tivar or second and sixth flat, fourth sharp |
9. Todi | Re, Ga, Dha Komal, Ma Tivar or second, third and sixth flat, fourth sharp |
10. Bhairav | Re and Dha Komal or second and sixth flat |
As you see, that except the 10th (Bhairav) Thaat, all other nine Thaat can be divided into two groups.
- First five Thaats start from ‘none’ flat or sharp and then every Thaat has ‘one extra’ flat.
- Thaat No. 6-9 have fourth sharp (Ma Tivar). There is one extra flat in every next Thaat after the 6th Thaat, which has no flats (Komal).
- The Tenth Thaat is a very popular Thaat but it doesn’t fit into ‘adding one vikrat’ categorizing.
Here is an interactive infographic of these thaats. In Indian music a transposed scale still be called the same scale as long as the relation between notes stays the same. As in Jazz a Lydian is Lydian regardless of the key. In case the interactive animation doesnt load, there is a list view below as well. All following scales are from C:
[iframe width=”100%” height=”300″ src=”https://www.sangtar.com/canvas/170201-10thaats.html”].
1. Bilaval: C,D,E,F,G,A,B > 1,2,3,4,5,6,7
2. Khamaj: C,D,E,F,G,A,Bb > 1,2,3,4,5,6,7b
3. Kafi: C,D,Eb,F,G,A,Bb > 1,2,3b,4,5,6,7b
4. Asavari: C,D,Eb,F,G,Ab,Bb > 1,2,3b,4,5,6b,7b
5. Bhairvi: C,Db,Eb,F,G,Ab,Bb > 1,2b,3b,4,5,6b,7b
6. Kalian: C,D,E,F#,G,A,B > 1,2,3,4#,5,6,7
7. Marva: C,Db,E,F#,G,A,B > 1,2b,3,4#,5,6,7
8. Pooravi: C,Db,E,F#,G,Ab,B > 1,2b,3,4#,5,6b,7
9. Todi: C,Db,Eb,F#,G,Ab,B > 1,2b,3b,4#,5,6b,7
10. Bhairav: C,Db,E,F,G,Ab,B > 1,2b,3,4,5,6b,7
I have been looking at this –you make it so interesting and easy to understand .I really appreciate all your hard work and explanations.
You have explained ten thaats in a lucid manner and it is very informative and educative to beginners. Plz. keep it up for we learners. Thnk yu vry much – Manish
Useful and practical knowledge to understand hindstani music. Your efforts are praiseworthy. – manish