In Hindustani classical music, we often speak about Raag, Sur and Swara, but behind our understanding of many Raags lies an important concept called “Thaat”.
A Thaat is essentially a parent scale or a group of seven Swaras arranged in their ascending form, from which different Raags can be classified and understood.
In Hindustani classical music, 10 principal Thaats are commonly recognised: Bilawal, Khamaj, Kafi, Asavari, Bhairavi, Bhairav, Kalyan, Marwa, Purvi and Todi.
Each Thaat has its own particular combination of ‘Shuddha’ and ‘Vikrit Swaras’. Understanding these combinations helps a student recognise the basic Swara structure associated with different Raags.
For example, Bilawal Thaat uses all seven Shuddha Swaras: Sa – Re – Ga – Ma – Pa – Dha – Ni – Sa
Whereas Kalyan Thaat is characterised by the use of ‘Teevra Ma’ along with the other Shuddha Swaras.
But there is an important distinction that every student should remember: a Thaat is not a Raag.
A Raag has much more than just a collection of Swaras. Its Aaroha, Avaroha, Pakad, Vadi-Samvadi, important Swara movements and the way those Swaras are expressed give it its individual personality.
I often explain it to my students by saying that a Thaat is like a family, while each Raag is an individual member of that family. They may share certain characteristics, but each Raag has its own identity, mood and musical expression.
Learning Thaats therefore gives a student a strong foundation for understanding the larger world of Hindustani classical music.
And as we gradually learn to recognise these Swara patterns, we begin to realise that classical music is not only about remembering notes, it is about understanding the relationship between them.
For me, learning Thaat is like learning the map before beginning a journey through the beautiful world of Raags.
