Reading Music 

Bhatkhande and Paluskar 

At some point you are going to want to write music down. Or someone will hand you a written composition and expect you to sing it. This is where notation comes in.

Indian classical music has two main notation systems, both developed in the early 20th century by two of the most important figures in the history of Hindustani music. We will cover them in depth in later levels, but at the Prarambhik level you need a working knowledge of both.

The two systems are named after their creators: Pandit Vishnu Narayan Bhatkhande and Pandit Vishnu Digambar Paluskar. Yes, both were named Vishnu. Yes, that is slightly confusing. No, there is no shortcut for remembering which is which other than just knowing it.

Why Two Systems?

Both men were working independently around the same time to solve the same problem: Indian classical music had always been passed down orally, teacher to student, and there was no standardized way to write it down. Both created systems that worked. Both became widely adopted. Neither completely replaced the other. So today, both are in use and both are tested in exams.

The Basic Elements of Both Systems

Both systems need to represent the same things:

Which note (Swar): Sa, Re, Ga, Ma, Pa, Dha, Ni and their Komal or Tivra versions

Which octave (Saptak): Mandra, Madhya or Taar

How long the note lasts (duration)

Where the beat falls (Sam, Khali, Vibhag)

How Each System Handles These

For Shuddha Swars: Neither system uses any special symbol. The note is written as is.

For Komal Swars:

Bhatkhande places a horizontal line below the note.

Paluskar uses a small curved symbol (like a u-shape) below the note.

For Tivra Ma:

Both systems place a vertical line above the Ma, though the exact symbol differs slightly.

For Mandra Saptak (lower octave):

Bhatkhande places a dot below the note.

Paluskar also uses a dot below.

For Taar Saptak (upper octave):

Bhatkhande places a vertical line above the note.

Paluskar uses a similar mark above.

For note duration, the two systems differ more significantly and that is where things get interesting, but the detailed duration symbols are covered at Praveshika level. For now, know that both systems exist, know their creators, and know the basic symbols for Shuddha, Komal, Tivra, and the three Saptaks.

A Quick Side by Side

Sa in Madhya Saptak: S (same in both)

Komal Ga in Madhya Saptak: g with a line below (Bhatkhande) / g with curve below (Paluskar)

Tivra Ma: M with a line above (both)

Sa in Mandra Saptak: S with dot below (both)

Sa in Taar Saptak: S with line above (Bhatkhande) / S with line above (Paluskar)

The Exam-Ready Knowledge

Know the names of both systems and their creators. Know the basic symbols for Shuddha, Komal and Tivra Swars in both. Know how each system marks the three Saptaks. Be able to read a simple composition written in either system and identify the notes and octaves.

Common Misconceptions

Students often think one system is "correct" and the other is outdated. Both are fully valid and both are tested. Do not prioritize one over the other.

Also, notation in Indian classical music is a guide, not a prison. The written composition gives you the skeleton. How you sing it, the ornaments you add, the way you approach each note, that is where the art lives. But you need to read the skeleton first.

Quick Quiz

1. Who created the Bhatkhande notation system?

2. Who created the Paluskar notation system?

3. How does each system mark a Komal Swar?

4. How does each system mark the Mandra Saptak?

5. Why do two separate notation systems exist in Hindustani classical music?

Listening and Reading Task

Find any simple sargam or composition written in Bhatkhande notation online (there are many on music websites). Try to read it out loud, note by note. Don't worry about timing yet. Just identify each Swar and which Saptak it belongs to. If you can do that, you are reading music. That is a bigger deal than it sounds. 🎵

PEACE ! 🎻