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Web karnatik

Carnatic Glossary D - listed here are terms beginning with D. If you find a Carnatic term that isn't listed, just send a note.


da (1) - abbreviation in singing, same as dhaivatam

da (2) - an abbreviation for shuddha dhaivatam (D1)

daatu - a gamaka which uses a base note and goes to other notes, ex: sr sg sm sp sd sn sS

daaTu - a gamaka which involves jumping from one note to another, ex: sg rm gp md pn dS

daaTu varisai - a series of phrases for singing and playing for early music practice, which uses daaTu (taaTu) gamaka style swara combinations, in a jumping or non regular fashion. It is also called taanDu varisai

daivika kOmali - a divine Joker, who supposedly sings the kONangi Daru

dakshina maargam - a taaLa path that is equal to 32 swaras or 8 maattirai, used only in pallavi

Damaru yati - a type of rhythmic pattern of swaras or words resembling a Damaru, a type of drum that is narrow in the middle and wide at the ends. It is a combination of srotovaaha and gOpucca yati. ex: sndp-ndp-dp-p-dp-ndp-sndp, or srgrsrsrgm (matya taaLa)

dana - the pa (2) combination, the first mela in any cakra having D1 and N1

dani - the sri combination, the second mela in any cakra having D1 and N2

danu - the go combination, the third mela in any cakra having D1 and N3

Daru - same as Daruvu

Daruvu - a particular type of musical form (sabhaa gaanam), which relates a historical or puranic incident or ancient story, expressing love or the greatness of a generous person. It is often in madhyama kaalam, with pallavi, anupallavi (not always), and more than on caraNam, with a mixture of jatis. It is often used in dance dramas as an introduction (such as Arunaacala Kavi's RaamanaaTakam). There are 8 types of darus: pravEshika, varnanai, samvada, swaagata, uttara pratiuttara, jakkini, kONangi, and kOlaaTTa Daru

dasavida gamaka - the 10 forms of gamaka, listed here

deergha - swaras that are often long and extended (with a comma) in a raaga, such as ri and ma in aarabi, often corresponding to the jeeva swaras

dEshaadi - originally a taaLa with 3 beats and a wave, this is now performed as aadi taala which begins after 1 1/2 beat (1 1/2 eDuppu)

dEsya (1) - a raaga whose swaroopam is brought out by just aalaapanai, for example kaanaDaa, hameer kalyaaNi, hindustaani behaag

dEsya (2) - raagas that were brought to South India from North India, for example paras, maanD, jhinjoTi, and shenjuruTTi

dhaivataantya - raagas that range only up to the madhya staayi dhaivatam, without touching ni or the taara sa

dhaivatam - the 6th note, equivalent to la of Western do re mi syllables. It occurs in 3 types: shuddha dhaivatam, catshruti dhaivatam, and satshruti dhaivatam, which correspond to G#, A, and Bb respectively in the Western key of C

dhruva - one of the sapta taaLas, which has the form laghu, drutam, laghu, laghu (symbol |0||). With the 7 types of laghus, there can be 7 forms of this raaga. For example, sankeerna jaati dhruva taaLa is laghu(9), drutam(2), laghu(9), laghu(9) for a total of 28 beats

di - an abbreviation for catshruti dhaivatam (D2)

dini - the bhu combination, the fourth mela in any cakra having D2 and N2

dinu - the ma combination, the fifth mela in any cakra having D2 and N3

disi - the 10th cakra, which uses M2, R2 and G2, comprising melas 55-60

Divine Art - music is often referred to by this term because it is considered linked to God

divya prabhandam - a musical form, a type of sabhaa gaanam, see nalayira divya prabhandam

do - in the Western do re mi system, the first note or swara, equivalent to sa

dOlakam - a gamaka, same as aandOLam

dot - dots are used in notation. A dot over a swara indicates it should be sung in the next higher octave (taara staayi), 2 dots indicate an even higher octave (ati taara staayi), a dot below indicates the lower octave (mandra staayi), and 2 dots below indicate the even lower octave (anu mandra staayi). A string of dots next to a word or syllable indicate aakaaram, continuing the singing of the word

druta laya - a fast, quick speed or tempo

drutam - a taaLa movement which includes a beat and a wave (or a beat with the palm and a beat with the back of the hand), counting for 2 beats

du - an abbreviation for shatshruti dhaivatam (D3)

dunu - the sha combination, the sixth (and last) mela in any cakra having D3 and N3

durbala - swaras that are not good to lengthen or dwell upon in a raaga, for example ga in aarabi

durita kaala - this is the 2nd speed or kaala, which can hold half the number of swaras of the same speed as in 1st kaala if the taaLa is changed. Since the taaLa is held constant within a song, when one changes from madhyama kaala to durita kaala, double the number of swaras will be sung because they are sung faster. Thus if in first speed 4 swaras are sung per beat, in 2nd speed 8 swaras will be sung.

dwi kalai - kalai of 2, where each kriyaa takes 2 swaras

dwitiya pancaka raaga - a type of ghana raaga, including raagas such as kEdaaram, naaraayaNa gowLa, saaranga naaTTai, bowLi, and reeti gowLa

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updated on 06/01/2012