What Is a Komal Swara? The 5 Notes Beyond the seven, in Indian Classical Music

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8n4nVUYHLrw

What Is a Komal Swara? The Notes Beyond the Scale in Indian Classical Music

In the previous RagaQuest lesson, we explored how the entire saptak — the octave — grows outward from a single base note, the Shadja or Sa. Each of the seven notes in that saptak has a precise, natural relationship with the Sa. These seven notes are called Shuddha Swaras. But Indian Classical Music does not stop at seven.

Why Are the Seven Notes Called Shuddha Swara?

The word Shuddha means pure. These seven notes — Sa, Re, Ga, Ma, Pa, Dha, Ni — are called pure because they are defined at exact points on the pitch scale, each with a specific, fixed relationship to the Sa. Think of them as the seven integers marked clearly on a number line.

But between any two integers on a number line, there are infinitely many fractions. In the same way, between any two Shuddha Swaras, there is a continuous range of pitch. Hindustani music — the North Indian tradition — treats the entire saptak as a continuum, not just seven isolated dots. This is what makes it so expressive and so different from many other musical traditions.

▶ Watch it: Why the seven notes are called Shuddha and what the scale continuum looks like — https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8n4nVUYHLrw&t=0

What Is a Komal Swara? The Note Between Two Shuddha Notes

When we move from Sa to Re, every point along that pitch journey carries its own sound. A komal swara (komal means flat or soft in Sanskrit) is a specific, defined note placed inside that space between two Shuddha Swaras. It is the changed, or vikrut (altered), version of the Shuddha note it falls near.

Komal Rishabh:

The first komal swara we encounter is the Komal Rishabh — Komal Re. It sits between the Shadja (Sa) and the Shuddha Rishabh (Re).

▶ Watch it: Where exactly Komal Re is positioned between Sa and Re, with pitch demonstration — https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8n4nVUYHLrw&t=114

Komal Gandhar:

The same logic applies to Ga. The space between Re and Ga is wide enough to place another note, and that note is the Komal Gandhar. Like Komal Re, it is the vikrut or altered form of the Shuddha Ga, positioned below it on the pitch scale.

▶ Watch it: How Komal Gandhar is identified and how it sounds in context — https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8n4nVUYHLrw&t=250

Are Komal Swaras Positioned at the Midpoint Between Shuddha Notes?

This is a natural question, and the answer reveals something unique about Indian music. No — the komal swara is not necessarily the midpoint between two Shuddha Swaras. Its exact position depends entirely on the raga being performed.

A raga may require the Komal Re to sit very close to Sa, giving it a softer, more melancholic quality. Another raga may call for it to sit higher, closer to the Shuddha Re. This flexibility is one of the defining features of Hindustani music — the raga itself specifies where within the available space each note should land.

▶ Watch it: Why komal swaras are not fixed midpoints and how the raga determines their exact placement — https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8n4nVUYHLrw&t=341

Komal Dhaivat and Komal Nishad: The Flat Notes in the Upper Half

Moving into the upper half of the saptak, the same principle produces two more komal swaras. The Komal Dhaivat (Komal Dha) is the altered version of the Shuddha Dhaivat, and the Komal Nishad (Komal Ni) is the altered version of the Shuddha Nishad. Both sit below their respective Shuddha counterparts.

So in total, the saptak contains four komal swaras: Komal Re, Komal Ga, Komal Dha, and Komal Ni.

▶ Watch it: How Komal Dha and Komal Ni are positioned in the upper half of the saptak — https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8n4nVUYHLrw&t=388

The Teevra Madhyam: When the Note Goes Up, Not Down

There is one more altered note in the saptak, and it works differently. Between Ga and Ma, the pitch gap is too narrow to fit another distinct note. But between Ma and Pa, the space is large enough to accommodate one.

The note placed in this space is not called Komal Pancham — it is called Teevra Madhyam, or Teevra Ma. Teevra means sharp or raised, so this is the Ma that has been lifted slightly upward toward the Pa. Why is it named after the Ma and not the Pa? That question will be addressed in a future lesson.

▶ Watch it: Why the note between Ma and Pa is called Teevra Madhyam rather than Komal Pancham — https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8n4nVUYHLrw&t=480

The Complete Picture: Komal Swara and the Full Indian Scale

With the Shuddha Swaras, the four komal swaras, and the Teevra Madhyam, Hindustani music uses a total of twelve defined positions within a single saptak. This is the foundation upon which every raga is built — the raga then selects a subset of these notes and assigns each one its precise character within the music.

Understanding what is a komal swara is therefore not just an exercise in music theory. It opens the door to understanding why ragas sound the way they do — and why two ragas using the same basic notes can feel completely different from each other.

GLOSSARY

	Definition
Shuddha Swara	The seven pure notes of the Indian scale (Sa, Re, Ga, Ma, Pa, Dha, Ni), each defined at an exact pitch interval from the base note Sa.
Komal Swara	A flattened or softened note placed below a Shuddha Swara. There are four komal swaras: Komal Re, Komal Ga, Komal Dha, and Komal Ni.
Vikrut Swara	Sanskrit for 'altered note.' Both komal (flat) and teevra (sharp) swaras are vikrut swaras — modified versions of their Shuddha counterparts.
Teevra Madhyam	The single sharp or raised note in the saptak, positioned between the Shuddha Madhyam (Ma) and Pancham (Pa). Also written as Teevra Ma.
Saptak	The octave — the complete set of seven Shuddha Swaras from Sa to the next Sa. Hindustani music treats the saptak as a continuous pitch range, not seven fixed points.
Shadja (Sa)	The base or foundation note of the saptak. All other notes are defined in relation to it. Sa itself has no komal or teevra version.
Raga	A melodic framework in Indian classical music that specifies which notes to use, how to approach them, and — importantly — the exact microtonal placement of each note.
Hindustani Music	The North Indian tradition of Indian Classical Music, known for its use of the full continuum of pitch within the saptak.

KEY TAKEAWAYS

• The seven Shuddha Swaras are called 'pure' because they sit at precise, fixed pitch intervals relative to the base note Sa.

• Hindustani music treats the octave as a continuous spectrum of pitch, not just seven isolated points — every pitch between two Shuddha Swaras is a potential note.

• A komal swara is a specific, defined note placed below a Shuddha Swara; there are four komal swaras in total: Komal Re, Komal Ga, Komal Dha, and Komal Ni.

• Komal swaras are not positioned at fixed midpoints between Shuddha Swaras — the raga itself determines their precise placement, which is unique to Indian music.

• The space between Ga and Ma is too narrow for a komal note; the space between Ma and Pa accommodates one note, which is raised upward and called Teevra Madhyam (not Komal Pa).

• Including the Shuddha Swaras, four komal swaras, and Teevra Madhyam, Hindustani music works with twelve defined pitch positions within a single octave — the raw material from which all ragas are constructed.

• Understanding what is a komal swara is the gateway to understanding why ragas with similar notes can sound and feel entirely different from one another.

FAQs

What is a komal swara in Indian classical music?

A komal swara is a flattened note placed below one of the seven Shuddha (pure) notes. There are four komal swaras in Hindustani music: Komal Re, Komal Ga, Komal Dha, and Komal Ni. Each one sits in the pitch space just below its Shuddha counterpart. The word komal means soft or flat in Sanskrit, and these notes carry that quality in sound as well — they are often described as having a more introverted or serious emotional colour than the Shuddha versions.

What is the difference between a Shuddha swara and a komal swara?

A Shuddha swara is one of the seven pure notes of the Indian scale, each defined at a precise pitch interval from the base note Sa. A komal swara is an altered version — specifically a lowered version — of one of those Shuddha notes. The komal note exists in the pitch space below the Shuddha note. Think of it like the difference between a natural note and a flat note on a Western piano, though in Indian music the exact placement of the komal note is far more flexible and is shaped by the raga.

Is Sa or Pa ever komal in Indian music?

No. Sa (Shadja) and Pa (Pancham) have no komal or altered versions in Hindustani music. They are considered fixed, anchor notes of the saptak. The same applies in both Hindustani and Carnatic traditions — the stability of Sa and Pa is fundamental to the structure of Indian music. All other notes can be altered, but these two remain constant.

What is Teevra Madhyam and why is it not called Komal Pancham?

Teevra Madhyam is the single sharpened or raised note in the saptak — placed between the Shuddha Ma and Pa. The word teevra means sharp or intense. It is called Teevra Madhyam (a raised Ma) rather than Komal Pancham (a lowered Pa) because of how it functions acoustically and theoretically within the system. The full explanation involves the note relationships in Indian music and will be covered in a dedicated RagaQuest lesson.

Are komal swaras the same in every raga?

No, and this is one of the most fascinating aspects of Indian classical music. While a komal swara is always below its Shuddha version, its exact pitch placement within that range is determined by the raga. One raga may require Komal Ga to sit very close to Re, while another places it much closer to the Shuddha Ga. This microtonal flexibility is one of the key reasons why Indian classical music can express such a wide range of moods and emotions through what might appear to be the same set of notes.

How many total notes does Hindustani music use in one octave?

Twelve. The saptak contains seven Shuddha Swaras, four komal swaras (Komal Re, Ga, Dha, Ni), and one Teevra Swara — the Teevra Madhyam. This is the same twelve-note division found in Western equal temperament, but with a crucial difference: in Hindustani music, the exact pitch of each note within the octave is not fixed across all ragas.

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Ragasphere: What Is a Komal Swara? The Notes Beyond the Scale in Indian Classical Music