The third step of the sapta swara, offering both komal (lowered) and shuddha (natural) options. While these are somewhat equivalent to the Western b3 and ♮3 (=300 and 400 cents), the Hindustani Ga may also take nearby microtones (e.g. Todi’s komal ga is often ‘ati-komal’: extra-flat, and Darbari’s own komal ga shade has been described as ‘the Mother of all Shrutis’). Plus, swaras are much more than just ‘notes’ – e.g. some associate Ga with solar energy, the bleating of goats, and the Gandharvas: Dharmic celestial beings revered for their abilities in music and dance (while dilruba and tar shehnai exponent Kirpal Singh uses more mundane metaphors: “There are so many ways of getting to the Ga…[like] a journey from London to Birmingham, you could take the M1, the M6, the M40…”). Also see Lagan Gandhar: a ‘triple-Ga’ raga created by the aptly-named Kumar Gandharva.
ग (गान्धार)
Sa | Re | Ga | Ma | Pa | Dha | Ni
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• Ga Categories •
Komal ga: present
Komal ga: only
Komal ga: varjit
Komal ga: imperfect
Komal ga: detached
Shuddha Ga: present
Shuddha Ga: only
Shuddha Ga: varjit
Shuddha Ga: imperfect
Shuddha Ga: detached
Generic Ga: present
Generic Ga: varjit
Double Ga: present
Mirror: g–D | gG–Dn | G—n
• Quirks: komal ga sometimes tuned lower than 12-tet (e.g. Todi‘s ‘ati-komal‘ sruti), and shuddha Ga often set closer to the ‘pure‘ maj. 3rd (~386 vs. 400 cents) • also see the ‘triple-Ga‘ Lagan Gandhar
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