THAAT
थाट
Thaat is frame that Raga fits
into. This term is of recent origin. Earlier, there used to be
GRAAM-MEL-MOORCHHANA ग्राम मेल मूर्च्छना system.
The author of the 15th century “RAGA TARANGINI”, Lochan abolished
the
system and introduced Mel or
Thaat. Till the time of Lochan, there were 16 thousand Ragas among which 16
were popular. He introduced 12 Thaats, namely
1.
Bhairavi, 2. Todi, 3. Gouri, 4. Karnat, 5. Kedar, 6.
Eman, 7. Sarang, 8. Megh, 9 Dhanashri, 10. Poorvi, 11. Mukhari and 12 Deepak.
In
1665 Hriday Narayan Dev defined these Thaats and classified the Ragas
accordingly. In 17th century another musicologist Shrinivas
catagorised Ragas scientifically. He established that Ragas take birth from Thaats
and they are classified as Audav, Shadav and Samppoorna.
This
system went on well. The exception was the book RAGA VIBODH. There, the number
of Thaats was 23.
The
great Pandit Venkatmakhin proved mathematically that the number of Thaats as
72.
Pt.
Vishnu Narayan Bhatkhande (1860-1916) founded the theory of 10 Thaats and
classified all the known Ragas into them. Thus the history of Thaats begins
with Pt. Lochan and completes with Pt. V. N. Bhatkhande. His 10 Thaat theory
accepts and embraces all good factors from the 32 Thaats which were proven
earlier mathematically.
Pt.
Bhatkhande defined Thaat as
A
Thaat is cluster of Swaras from which the Ragas emerge. Naad, Swar, Saptak and
Mel is the order that makes a Thaat.
1. Thaat
chooses only seven Arohi Swars.
2. The
order is Sa Re Ga Ma Pa Dha Ni
3. The
Avaroha is not taken into account.
4. The
Swars taken are Shudh and Vikrut
5. Thaat
is never sung, so sweetness of Swars is not thought of.
6. The
name of the Thaat is chosen from the most popular Raga from it.
मेल:स्वरसंम्मूह:स्याद्रगव्यञ्जनशक्तिमान्
Pt.
Bhatkhande has defined Thaat in the above Shloka. The following lines show the
features of 10 Thaats.
1.
Kalyan Thaat सा रे ग मे प
ध नी (verticle
line above म)
All Shudh Swars, except Teevra Ma
2.
Bilawal Thaat सा रे ग म प ध नी
All Shudh Swars
3.
Khamaj Thaat सा रे ग म प ध नी
All Shudh Swars except Komal Ni
4. Bhairav Thaat सा रे ग म प ध नी
Komal Re and Dha
5.
Poorvi Thaat सा रे ग मे प ध नी (verticle line above म)
Komal Re Dha and Teevra Ma
6.
Marvah Thaat सा रे ग मे प ध नी (verticle
line above म)
Komal Re and Teevra ma
7.
Kafi Thaat सा रे ग म प ध नी
Komal Ga and Ni
8.
Asawari Thaat सा रे ग म प ध नी
Komal Ga Dha and Ni
9.
Todi Thaat सा रे ग मे प ध नी (verticle
line above म)
Re Ga and Dha Komal with Teevrta Ma
10. Bhairavi Thaat सा रे ग म प ध नी
All possible Komal Swars Re Ga Dha Ni
