What is a That in The Indian Classical Music

Let us Learn what is a That in Indian Classical Music ,Thats are also called the melakartas.  There are about 10 ThaatsF in Indian Classical Music. What is the importance of the Thats & itsF implication in any Indian form of Classical Music? 

We all know that Music is associated with Sound/ध्वनि (Hindi). A Dwani which has a pleasant, soothing & harmonic effect on the human ears, a hypnoticF dwani ideal for Music, produced by friction is called a Naad. A Naad which is Musically used, clearly audible is "Shruti".

Shruti is an audible pleasant sound different in nature yet a very distinct note. Shruti, Swars, notes are all one & the same. There are 12 Shruties/Swars in a Saptak (octave), 7 Shud swars + 5 Vikruth Swars.

Vikruth Swars are 2 kinds:-

•  Komal Vikruth is the Swars which is placed below its Original Shud note & written by underlining the Note for the sake of Deciphering. The Komal Vikruth Swars are रे   ग   ध   नि.
• Theevra Vikruth is the Swar which is placed higher than its Original Shud Note & written by drawing a  small straight line above the Note for the sake of Deciphering. The Theevra Vikruth Swar is म'.

*Please note: Vikruth Swars are also called Chal Swar स & प  are called Achal Swars

A total of 7 Shud Swars + 4 Komal Vikruth Swars + 1 Theevra Vikrut Swar = 12 Swars. A Total of 12 Swars are there in a Saptak & there are 3 Saptaks in Indian Music. 

The 3 Saptaks are as follows:-

• The Mandra Saptak (Lower Octave) mandra saptak Swars is represented by a dot (.) underneath the swar. Example:- रे. 
• The Madhya Saptak ( Middle Octave)Madhya saptak Swar are all plain normal written swars. Example:- रे 
• The Taar Saptak (Higher Octave) Taar saptak swar is represented by a Dot (.) above the Swars. Example:- रे'

Mandra Saptak 12 swars , Madhya Saptak 12 swars ,Tar Saptak 12 swars Total 36 Swars.

Mandra Saptak Lower Octave

Therefore, in Shastriya Sangeet the sequence to be remembered by the Music aspirants are First Naad followed by Shruti, Swar & from Swar to Saptak.

Madya Saptak Middle Octave

 The Saptak & its 12 Swars/Notes, based on which a That is produced. 

Taar Sapatak Higher Octave

What is a Thaats

That is also called a Mel or Melkartha When the 7 swars (Saptaswar) together in a sequence are called a Thaat. A That's 7 swars can be Shud or Vikruth swar or a combination of both, is required for a Thaat to produce Raags & therefore a That is also called Janya-Janak (Mother-Father) a Generic.

The Thaats & characteristics  

•       A Thaat should consist of Sampoorn Swars ie. 7 swars for the simple reason, that the Ragas are derived from Thaats and the majority of Raags requires Sampoorn Swars ie. 7 swars, and therefore a Thaats should necessarily possess 7 swar for it to produce a Raag of a Sampoorn Jati. And therefore a maximum number of 7 Swars are mandatory for a Thaat. 
•     In a Taat Seven swars of a saptaak should be in a sequence स रे ग म प ध नि 
•   Aroha & Awrah are not required in a That, only an Aroha is sufficient to identify a That. Example  : स रे ग म प ध नि
•      There are 10 That in Hindustani Shastriya Sangeet & there are      hundreds of ragas which come under these 10 That.
•       A That possesses no melody, as that is not a Raag to sing.
•     The importance of a That is to Produce Raags.

 There are 10 That in Hindustani Shastriya Sangeet & there are hundreds of ragas which come under these 10 That .

The 10 That are as follows:-

Kaylan / Yaman कल्यण / यमन 

Bilawal बिलावल 

Kamaaj कमाज 

Asavari आसावरी 

Bhairavi भैरवी 

Todi तोड़ी

Bhairav भैरव 

 Poorvi पूर्वी 

 Marwa मारवा 

Kaafi काफी