In Western music you talk about octaves – C in one octave, then the next C higher, and so on. In Indian classical music we use the word Saptak, literally “a group of seven”, to describe a register or octave built on the seven swars Sa Re Ga Ma Pa Dha Ni.
We usually work with three main saptaks:
- Mandra Saptak – the lower register (notes that sound deep, chesty, or bass-like).
- Madhya Saptak – the middle register (the “home base” where most melody lives).
- Taar Saptak – the higher register (brighter, more intense notes).
In notation, we often show these using dots:
- A dot below the swar – Mandra saptak (low octave).
- No dot – Madhya saptak (middle octave).
- A dot above the swar – Taar saptak (high octave).
Vocalists learn to shift smoothly between these registers. A khayal singer might start with a calm, deep alaap in Mandra, explore the heart of the raag in Madhya, and then rise into shining Taar swars for emotional peaks. Instrumentalists (on sitar, flute, violin, etc.) use finger positions and technique to move between these saptaks.
Just like a Western singer might talk about “chest voice” and “head voice”, Indian classical artists think in terms of these saptaks – choosing where to place a phrase for the most expressive effect.