22 Sruthis

Sruthi is a pitch or a quatertone. In ancient Tamil music Shruthi means alagu (unit). It is
important to note that there are infinite amounts of srutis as there are an infinite number
of frequencies and pitches. However, only 22 are used in modern ragas used in south indian
music. Over the years many different scholars have estimated the number of sruthis in
amounts such as 22, 24, 27, 32, 48, 53, and 96 yet many ancient tamil and sanskrit works
mention 22 srutis as the foundation of the Indian musical scale. Some examples of Ancient
Tamil and Sanskrit works that mention 22 sruthis as the foundation of Indian music are
Natya Sastri by Bharathar, Silapathikaram by Ilango Adigal, Sangeetha Ratnakaram by
Saranga Devar. Palkyrki Samanatha Kavi is a scholar who defined that there are 22 sruthis.
It is said that a well trained ear can perceive and identify at least 50 notes in an octave. THe
use of these subtle tones is the glory of Indian music. This testifies to the highly developed
aural powers of Indian musicians. When considering these 22 sruthis, musicians are not
conscious of the precise frequency of the notes; instead they acquire the understanding of
these notes through nadatma roopa which is the melodic picture of the raga otherwise
known as raga bhavam. Janya ragas which can possibly claim more than one janaka raga
are put under particular melakarthas on the basis of sruthi values only. The melodic
individuality of a raga is revealed only when characteristics sruthis are sounded. The
different sthanas of the 22 sruthis can be visually seen on the pradarshana veenai. Dhruva
veena and Chala veena were used to calculate the 22 sruthis.

Sl No. Name of the Sruthi Frequency Value in Value Ragams in which

Vibrations in the sruthis occur
per second cyclic
cents

1. Shadjam 1 240 0 All ragams

2. Ekasruthi Rishabam 256/243 252.8 90 Gowlai,

Saurashtram

3. Dvisruthi Rishabam 16/15 256 112 Mayamalavagowlai

4. Trisruthi Rishabam 10/9 266.6 182 Bhairavi, Sriragam

5. Chatussruthi Rishabam 9/8 270 204 Shankarabharanam

,Kalyani

6. Komala Sadharana 32/27 284.4 294 Thodi, Bhairavi,

Gandharam Sriragam

7. Sadharana Gandharam 6/5 288 316 Karaharapriya

8. Anthara Gandharam 5/4 300 386 Shankarabharanam

9. Tivra Anthara or Chyuta 81/64 303.75 408 Devagandhari,

Madhyama Gandharram Saurashtram
(Pythagorean Major
Third)

10. Suddha Madhyamam 4/3 320 498 Kudaravalli

11. Tivra Suddha 27/20 324 420 Begadai,Gaulipantu,

Madhyamam Yadukulakhamboji

12. Prati Madhyamam 45/32 337.5 590 Kalyani

13. Tivra Prati Madhyamam 729/512 341.7 612 Varali

Or Or Or
Chyuta Panchama 64/45 341.3
Madhyamam

14. Panchamam 3/2 360 702 All ragams in which

P is not varjam

15. Ekasruthi Dhaivatham 128/81 379 792 Saveri

16. Dvisruthi Dhaivatham 8/5 384 814 Mayamalavagowlai,

Pantuvarali

17. Trisruthi Dhaivatham 5/3 400 884 Khamboji, Vasantha,

Kamas

18. Chatusruthi Dhaivatham 27/16 405 906 Atana, Kalyani

(Pythagorean Major
 Sixth)

19. Komala Kaisiki 16/9 426.6 996 Bhairavi, Surati

Nishadam

20. Kaisiki Nishadam 9/5 432 1018 Kharaharapriya,

Khamboji

21. Kakali Nishadam 15/8 450 1088 Sankarabharanam

Hamsadhwani

22. Tivra Kakali Nishadam 243/128 455.6 1110 Kuranji, Neelambari,

or Chyuta Shadja Devagandhari
Nishadam (Pythagorean
Major Seventh)

Tara Shadjam 2 480 1200 All ragams except

Nishadantya,
Dhaivadantya, and
Panchamadtya
ragams

Sruthi is a note of minute pitch which a refined and trained ear can distinguish. It is a
fraction of a semitone and a unit sruthi with constant values does not exist. In total there
are 6 intervals, known as Eka Sruthi Interval, Dvisruthi Interval, Trisruthi Interval,
Chatussruthi Interval, Panchasruthi Interval, and Shatsruthi Interval.

Eka Sruthi Interval is the interval between consecutive notes, also known as single. Within
this interval there are three types. When we speak about an interval of one sruthi between
a pair of swarams, the value of this sruthi interval may be any one of these 3 types
according to the swarams forming the pair. The names and values of these sruthis are given
below in the increasing order of pitch.

Pramana Sruthi has a frequency of 81/80 or 22 cents. There are 10 of these in an octave. It is
otherwise known as the comma of Didymus. An example of pramana sruthi is the interval
between ekasruthi rishabam and dvisruthi rishabam. Nyuna Sruthi has a frequency of 25/24
or 70 cents. There are 5 of these in an octave. An example of Nyuna sruthi is the interval
between Sadharana Gandharam and Anthara Gandharam. Purna Sruthi has a frequency of
256/243 or 90 cents. There are 7 of these in an octave. This is also known as Pythagorean
Limma. An example of Purna Sruthi is the interval between Panchamam and Ekasruthi
Dhaivatham or Shadjam and Ekasruthi Rishabam.

Dvisruthi Interval is the two sruthi Interval. Dvisruthi is a semitone. There are 2 types known
as Purna Dvisruthi and Nyuna Dvisruthi.Purna Dvisruthi has the frequency of 16/15 which is
112 cents. Purna Dvisruthi is created through the combination of Purna Eka sruthi and
Pramana Eka sruthi. This being 256/243 x 81/80 = 16/15 (90 + 22 = 112 cents). It is a diatonic
semitone. An example is Shadjam and Dvisruthi Rishabam. Nyuna Dvisruthi has the
frequency of 135/128 or 92 cents. An example of Nyuna Dvisruthi is Dvisruthi Rishabam and
Chatusruthi Rishabam.

Trisruthi Interval is the three sruthi interval. Trisruthi is a Minor Tone. It has a constant
value of 10/9 or 182 cents. A purna eka sruthi, a pramana eka sruthi and a nyuna eka sruthi
make a trisruthi. 256/243 x 81/80 x 25/24 = 10/9 (90+70+22 = 182 cents).

Chatussruthi Interval is the four sruthi interval. Chatussruthi is a major tone.It has a
constant value of 9/8 or 204 cents. This is created by 2 pramana eka sruthis, a purna eka
sruthi and a nyuna eka sruthi. 256/243 x 81/80 x 25/24 x 81/80 = 9/8 (90+70+22+22 = 204
cents). It can also be created through a nyuna dvisruthi interval and a purna dvisruthi
interval. 16/15 + 135/128 = 9/8 (112 + 92 = 204).

Panchasruthi Interval is a five sruthi interval with a constant value of 32/27 or 294 cents. An
example is Chatussruthi ri and Suddha Ma. Shatsruthi Interval is a six sruthi interval with a
constant value of 6/5 or 316 cents. An example is anthara ga and panchama.

The difference between shatsruthi and panchasruthi is a comma 81/80 pramana sruthi. The
difference between panchasruthi and chatussruthi is a limma 256/243 purna sruthi. The
difference between chatussruthi and trishruthi is a comma 81/80 pramana sruthi. The
difference between trisruthi and dvisruthi is a 25/24 nyuna sruthi. The difference between
dvisruthi and ekasruthi (purna) is a comma 81/80 pramana sruthi.
Intervals are the ratio of the frequency of a note to that of a lower note. THe frequency of
the higher note is divided by the frequency of the lower note to find the value of the interval.
The frequency of the lower note multiplied by the interval results in the frequency of the
higher note. For example in Sankarabharanam the dvisruthi interval between ga and ma =
5/4 x 16/5 = 4/3. The trisruthi interval between ri and ga = 9/8 x 10/9 = 5/4. The Chatussruthi
interval between ma and pa = 4/3 x 9/8 = 3/2. The panchasruthi interval between ri and ma
= 9/8 x 32/27 = 4/3. THe shatsruthi interval between ga and pa = 5/4 x 6/5 = 3/2.

22 shrutis were distributed over all sapta swaras in ancient music. The prakruthi swaras s
and pa took one sruthi each, as they were changeless and had no varieties. The remaining 20
were distributed amongst the vikruthi swaras ri, ga, ma, da and ni with four sruthis each.
The musical scale is a collection of all notes used in the octave in a particular country. There
was gradual evolution and it was a result of centuries of musical thought and practice. The
22 sruthis are the foundation of the original scale that was derived primarily for fixing the
values of the suddha swaras. Sruthis derived upon the principle samvaditva or consonance.
The 22 sruthis evolved through the cycle of fifths and fourths or the Sa-pa, sa-ma method
(samavadadvaya). Cycle of thirds which is sa - ga will also establish other sruthis.

Harmonic Series contain values of the successive intervals. It is related to shadjam. They are
a sthayi (octave), a panchama (perfect 5th), suddha madhyama (perfect 4th), anthara
gandhara (major 3rd), sadharana gandhara (minor 3rd), 8th - 9th is a chatussruthi interval
(major tone), 9th - 10th is a trisruthi interval (minor tone), 15-16th is a dvisruthi interval
(diatonic semitone) and there are other successive intervals of interest only from academic,
non musical importance. The value of panchama is the arithmetic mean of shadja and tara
sthayi shadja (1+2)/2 = 3/2. The value of andhara gandhara is the arithmetic mean of shadja
and panchama (1+3/2)/2 = 5/4. The value of Chatussruthi ri is the arithmetical mean of
shadja and anthara gandhara 1+(5/4)/2 = 7/8. Cycle of fourths and fights are notes that are
complementary to each other.

Cycle of Fifths is the cycle that is sa-pa. The starting note of the cycle is sa with the
frequency of 1. Panchama has a frequency of 3/2. The cycle continues every 5th. By
multiplying the frequency by the Panchama results in the next 5th. Shadja which is equal to
1 multiplied by 3/2 is equal to 3/2 which is panchama. The panchama of panchama is tara
sthayi chatussruthi rishaba which would be 3/2 x 3/2 = 9/4. This occurrence is a compound
interval which is greater than an octave. For this reason, you divide the frequency by 2
resulting in madhya sthayi chatussruthi rishaba to have the value ((9/4)/2) = 9/8. The
panchama of chatussruthi dha is a tara sthayi note slightly above anthara gandharam as
tivra anthara gandharam. 27/16 x 3/2 = 81/32 in madhya sthayi the value is 81/32/2 = 81/64.
This process continues until the 12th cycle. These are a part of samvadi swarams.

Cycle of Fourths is the cycle of sa-ma. The starting note of the cycle is Shadjam with the
frequency of 1. Similar to the cycle of fifths the cycle evolves by the 4th instead of the 5th.
THe frequency of madhyamam is used to multiply the next 4th. The frequency of sudda
madhyama is 4/3. 1 x 4/3 = 4/3 which is sudda madhymam. The next fourth being komala
kaisiki nishadam (suddha nishadam) 4/3x4/3=16/9. The next fourth being Komala sadharana
gandharam (suddha gandharam) 16/9 x 4/3 = 64/27. In madhya sthayi the value of this note
is 64/27/2 = 32/27. This process continues until the 12th cycle. These are a part of samvadi
swarams

It is not unusual for ragas to change their characteristic srutis for particular sancharas. This
is seen in the raga todi during the occurrence of tara sthayi ri and ga. Ancient works
mention that the octave bears a dviguna (1:2) ratio. When a stretched string is stopped at ⅓
length, the shorter segment produces tara sthayi panchama and the larger segment
produces madhya sthayi panchama. Therefore pancham’s frequency was fixed as 3/2. Sruthis
bearing septimal ratios occur only in a few ragas. The frequency 7/6 occurs between
charussruthi ri and komala sadharana ga. The frequency 7/3 occurs between tivra suddha
madhyama and prathi madhyama. THis is less than purva kalyani madhyama by a very
small interval. The frequency 7/4 occurs between chatussruthi dha and komala kaishiki ni. 7/6
and 7/4 are samvadi swaras. The frequencies 25/24 and 25/16 are also samvadi swaras
however they are more rarely used.

The names for the 22 sruthis are found in Bharathar’s Natya sastram, sangita ratnakaram,
sangita parijatam, and sangita darpandam. Narada’s sargita makarandam and Bhavabatta’s
anupa sangita vilasa give different sets of names.
Each raga has their own complementary intervals in an octave. An octave can be viewed as
the sum of two intervals. The frequencies of the intervals will be different and the sum is
equal to 2 which is the octave’s frequency. If one of the intervals is a samvadi interval, the
other is also a samvadi interval. For example pa and sudda ma : 4/3 x 3/2 =2 (702+408+1200
cents) both are samvadi of shadja. If one of the intervals is an anuvadi interval, the other is
also an anuvadi interval. For example chatussrtuhi dha and komala sadharana ga:27/16 x
32/27 = 2 (906+294=1200 cents) both are anuvadi swaras in relation to Shadja. If one of the
intervals is a vivadi interval the other is also a vivadi interval. For example chatussruthi ri
and komala kaishiki ni: 9/8 x 16/9 = 2 (204+996=1200) both are vivadi swaras in relation ro
shadja.