school The Classical Carnatic Swara Notation System
Carnatic notation is an elegant, concise shorthand developed over generations to capture complex compositions, sangathis (melodic variations), and laya divisions.
Core Notation Symbols:
Core Notation Symbols:
- Upper Octave (Thaara Sthaayi): Marked with a dot above the swara (e.g., Ṡ, Ṙ, Ġ).
- Lower Octave (Mandra Sthaayi): Marked with a dot below the swara (e.g., Ṣ, Ṛ, Ṃ).
- Karvai (Rest / Sustained note): A comma (,) indicates 1 akshara rest; a semicolon (;) indicates 2 aksharas.
- Speed Underlines: A single underline represents Dwitiya Kaalam (2nd speed); a double underline represents Tritiya Kaalam (3rd speed).
- Tala Anga Dividers: Vertical bars (|) mark the boundary between laghu, dhrutham, and avartanam completion (||).