ALAAP: Improvised, slow and introductory prelude of a raga or song.

ALANKAR: An exercise in the melodic phrase of a raga in definite patterns also called palta.

AMSA: The most important or pivotal note in a raga, also called vadi.

ANAHAD NAD: Unmanifested, unstruck and divine sound.

ANTRA: Second or subsequent portion a Hindustani compostion.

ANUVADI: Notes in a raga other than vadi and samvadi, an assonant.

ARAVA: Pentatonic raga, also called odava.

AROHA: The ascending scale of a raga.

ASTHAI: First part of a Hindustani compostion, also called sthayi.

AVARTAN: A complete circle of time-measure.

AVAROHA: The descending scale of a raga.

BANDISH: A composition (vocal or musical) fixed in a rhythmic pattern

BAUL: Bengali folk musician who sings simple and religious melodies.

BEEN (BIN): North Indian name for the veena.

BHAJAN: Popular devotional and religious song, a hymnal composition.

BOLS: Drum syllables or phrases (like dhin, dha, tin trikat).

CHARTAL: Drone strings in instruments like sitar, sarod, etc.

CHIKARI: A session of sacred Sikh music conducted by ragis, in the presence of Sri Guru Granth Sahab.

DADRA: A Hindustani musical style; Hindustani tal of six matras with 12 beats.

DEEPCHAND: A Hindustani tal of 14 matras with four beats.

DESHI: Folk music, regional tunes.

DHAMAR: Hindustani fixed composition; Tal of 15 matras with four beats.

DHAVANI: A sound, also suggestive power of words and symbols.

DHUNI: Tuned based on a raga.

DHRUPAD: A Hindustani form of fixed composition in four parts.

DILRUBA: A stringed instrument combining features of sitar and sarangi and played with a bow.

DRONE: A instrument which plays the tonic or the dominant note (as for instance the tampura).

DRUT: Fast tempo or quick rhythmic beats of tal.

EKTAL: A rhythm of 12 matras wth four beats.

ESRAJ: A stringed instrument less complicated than the dilruba, played separately or as an accompaniment.

GAIKI: Manner and style of singing, also a school or tradition of music.

GHARANA: A tradition or school of music, a musical guild with distinct style of performing.

GHAZAL: A light classical composition in Urdu or Persian, generally dealing with a theme of love.

GRAMA: Ancient scale of music.

GURBANI: The composition of the Sikh Gurus, also called Bani.

GURU: Teacher or relgious preceptor. One of the Sikh Gurus; duration or two short syllables.

HOLI/HORI: Song of Holi festival; Dhamar composition sung in Hori style.

JATI: Ancient melodic scheme. Any of the three classes or raga depending on five, six, or seven notes.

JHALA: Third part of a raga played on an instrument, after the jor.

JODI: Literally a pair (of drums), also called tabla.

JOR: The sound part of a raga played on an instrument, after the alaap.

KAFI: A Hindustani raga, a form of poetical composition.

KEHRVA: Hindustani tal of four matras and one beat (sometimes played as four and four beats).

KHALI: An important interval in tal called ‘empty’ or vacant. It is indicated by a wave of the hand.

KHAYAL: A fixed form of Hindustani compostion. Literally it means ‘imagination’.

KIRTAN: Singing of the hymns of the Sikh Gurus, also singing praises of God.

KIRTANIYA: A singer of Sikh sacred music, a ragi who can perform kirtan.

KOMAL: Flat or tender note like r, g, d, n.

KRITI: A form of devotional composition also called kirtanam in Karnatak music.

KUNDALINI: The spiritual power at the root of the spine (muldhara) which has to rise through the nine chakras (stages) to the head to give immense joy and enlightenment.

LAGHU: An interval of one short syllable (in a tal of three or more units)

LAYA: The tempo of the raga, as distinct from beats of tal.

MADHYA SAPTAK: Middle octave.

MANDRA SAPTAK: Lower octave denoted by a dot under the note.

MANJIRA: A pair of small hand cymbals made of meta. They are called jalva in Southern India.

MATRA: Metrical or rhythmic unit.

MEEND: A slide from one note to another so as to link their sounds.

MELA: Scale in Karnatak music.

MOORCHANA: Modes or scales of music before the formation of raga system. Extending of a note to another in ascending or descending scale.

MURLAI: A flute, usually associated with Lord Krishna who played it beautifully.

NAD: Primal sound or resonant sound.

NAVA RASA: The nine emotions or moods expressed in music according to Indian aesthetics.

PAKAD: The particular and characteristics notes of a Hindustani raga.

PAKHAWAJ: North Indian drum (same as mridangam) with two sides.

PARTAL: Singing of different parts of one and the same hymn in different tals.

PURVANG: Literally, the first limb of ther lower tetrachord of a scale (SA to MA)

QAWALI: Muslim devotional or light composition often accompanied by rhythmic clapping.

RABAB: A Stringed instrument played witha wooden plectrum.

RABINDRA SANGEET: Bengali songs set to music by Rabindranath Tagore.

RAGA: A melody-scheme or a particular arrangement of notes and melodic patterns.

RAGI: A Sikh devotional singer who can recite Gurbani in classical ragas, class of musicians origninated by Guru Arjan.

RAGAMALA: a) A composition listing different raga families; b) a musical piece displaying different ragas.

RASA: The emotional effect or aesthetic relish of a raga.

RUPAK TAL: A rhythm of seven matras and three beats.

SADHANA: Serious and devoted practice for spiritual or musical training.

SAM: The first and most important beat in a Hindustani rhythm (tal)

SAMPARDAYA: Tradition, school or style of music, similar to gharana.

SAMVADI: Third part of the dhrupad composition.

SAMPURAN: Group of seven notes that may form a raga, heptatonic.

SANCHARI: Third part of the dhrupad composition.

SAPTAK: An octave, the group of seven notes from SA to NI.

SHABAD: Devotional hymn composed by Sikh Gurus or by bhagats, whose compositions are included in Sri Guru Granth Sahab, also the Word of God.

SHRUTI: The interval of a microtone. There are 22 shruties in an octave.

SHENNAI: An oboe-type double-reeded instrument of Northern India.

SHUDH: The natural or pure notes of an octave.

SITAR: A seven-stringed instrument with sympathetic strings and frets used in North India.

SUFI: Unorthodox Muslim mystics who patronise music.

SVARA: A note or tone of define pitch. There are seven basic svaras.

TABLA: A percussion instrument consisting of two drums. It is also called tabla-bayan.

TAL: A cyclic arrangement instrument consisting of two drums. It is also called tabla-bayan.

TAN: A musical phrase sung on vowels or syllables in a particular extermporisation of a raga.

TANPURA/TAMBOORA: A stringed drone instrument used in North India.

TAPPA: A love long of North India with strong rhythm and fast tempo.

TARANA/TILLANA: A quick popular melody using meaningless words or nonsense syllables.

TEENTAL: A rhythm of 16 matras and four beats.

THATH: The regular primary scale of Hindustani music.

THEKA: The drum phrases for a tal like DA, DHI, NA.

THUMRI: A lyrical and romantic form of light Hindustani music.

TILWARA: A rhythm of 16 matras and four beats in Hindustani music.

UTTARANGA: The upper tetrachord of a scale from PA to SA.

VADI: The most important or pivotal note in a raga.

VAD VRINDA: Orchestra or an instrumental ensemble.

VAR: A form of composition in praise of God or heroes, a ballad or an ode recounting praise of warriors.

VEENA: Popular stringed instrument of south India. Its counterpart is Been in North India.

VIKRIT: Modified or variant note, as opposed to Shudh note. The vikrit notes are komal (flat) or teevra (sharp).

VILAMBIT: Slow tempo in rhythm.

VIVADI: Dissonant note in a raga; it is also called the enemy of the raga.