--- url: 'https://kalasudha.com/en-bd/course/sitar/intermediate' title: 'Intermediate sitar course: meend, gats and jhala | KalaSudha' author: name: rajeevk url: 'https://kalasudha.com/en-bd/user/4add8741a490747f' date: '2026-11-01T00:59:12+00:00' updated: '2026-11-05T22:36:57+00:00' type: website summary: 'Intermediate sitar, prepared by KalaSudha: meend and gamak, a slow Masitkhani and a Razakhani gat, jod and jhala, layakari and eight studied ragas.' tags: - Intermediate - Sitar image: 'https://files.kalasudha.com/styles/d12_standard/public/mcp-imported/Sitar-Course-Lesson-Online-Cohort-KalaSudha.jpg?VersionId=4_zf58621fa0f456059ae110919_f11621925fccea142_d20261101_m010049_c003_v0312040_t0012_u01793494849478&h=82966a5b&itok=dEO27Xbg' published: true og: site_name: KalaSudha 'image:url': 'https://files.kalasudha.com/styles/d12_standard/public/mcp-imported/Sitar-Course-Lesson-Online-Cohort-KalaSudha.jpg?VersionId=4_zf58621fa0f456059ae110919_f11621925fccea142_d20261101_m010049_c003_v0312040_t0012_u01793494849478&h=82966a5b&itok=dEO27Xbg' 'image:secure_url': 'https://files.kalasudha.com/styles/d12_standard/public/mcp-imported/Sitar-Course-Lesson-Online-Cohort-KalaSudha.jpg?VersionId=4_zf58621fa0f456059ae110919_f11621925fccea142_d20261101_m010049_c003_v0312040_t0012_u01793494849478&h=82966a5b&itok=dEO27Xbg' 'image:type': image/jpeg 'image:width': '1200' 'image:height': '675' 'image:alt': 'A sitar learner sits cross-legged on a patterned rug playing the sitar, with a notebook of notation open beside him and a teacher seated nearby' --- 1. [1Foundation](/en-bd/course/sitar/foundation) 2. --- 2Intermediate 3. --- [3Advanced](/en-bd/course/sitar/advanced) Sitar Prepared by KalaSudha # Intermediate Sitar Intermediate sitar, prepared by KalaSudha: meend and gamak, a slow Masitkhani and a Razakhani gat, jod and jhala, layakari and eight studied ragas. [Talk to an Advisor](/en-bd/form/learner-enquiry?source_entity_type=node&source_entity_id=1844) [See the modules ](#curriculum) Your path9–15 months Modules2A–2C LessonsOne-to-one or in a group Ends inA KalaSudha certificate Overview ## About Intermediate **Intermediate sitar** develops ornament, gats and raga development once you can play clean strokes and short prepared studies. You enter after Foundation or a placement review against its milestones. It is the second level of the sitar course prepared by KalaSudha. As a typical guide, Intermediate takes 9–15 months, and you agree the pace with your teacher. Module 2A extends meend across two swaras and adds kan and gamak within phrases. You develop a four-minute alaap through the registers and learn a slow Masitkhani gat with its sthayi, antara and mukhda. Module 2B builds tantrakari, the right-hand stroke work: bols in three densities, a Razakhani gat with six todas, jod and basic jhala, a counted tihai and a gat in Rupak or Jhaptal. Read the full overviewShow less Module 2C brings the ragas together. Your record grows to **eight studied ragas** and four practical studies. You tell allied ragas apart by their phrases, compare five sitar traditions through sourced listening, play vistar and four slow taans, and trade phrases with tabla. In a cohort, you hear how other learners shape the same meend and alaap, and the guided set rehearsal becomes a performance for the group. Electives include tradition studies such as [Etawah](/en-bd/gharana/etawah-gharana) or Imdadkhani sung-contour work. The level ends with a ten- to fifteen-minute set and leads to a KalaSudha award (see [certificates](/en-bd/indian-classical-music-certificates)). [Ask about Intermediate in the Academy](/en-bd/academy). ### What you will be able to do - Land ascending and descending two-swara meends in tune on four of five attempts. - Play a four-minute alaap with purposeful rests that stays inside the raga. - Play a slow Masitkhani gat and a Razakhani gat with six todas and clean returns. - Play two minutes of jod and one minute of basic jhala with balanced chikari. - Recognise eight studied ragas and explain one allied pair through diagnostic phrases. ### Before you start - Complete Foundation sitar or meet its milestones in a placement review with your teacher. - Be able to play two short gats with tabla and recognise three studied ragas. [Ask about placement ](/en-bd/form/learner-enquiry?source_entity_type=node&source_entity_id=1844) Modules ## The three Intermediate modules Intermediate adds expression, right-hand stroke work and structured raga development. The last module draws them into eight studied ragas, four practical studies and a ten- to fifteen-minute set. 1. 2A ### Module 2A: Meend, ornament and the singing line 8 core + 4 teacher-set from 17 topics Review tuning and posture, then extend meend across two swaras and place kan and gamak in phrases. Recall phrases across registers and develop a four-minute alaap. Learn a slow Masitkhani gat with its sthayi, antara and mukhda. 1. 1 Placement, Tuning and Tension ReviewCore Check Foundation evidence and tune the sitar without step-by-step help. 2. 2 Meend Across Two SwarasCore Control longer meend through a sung or heard target in the instrument's usable range. 3. 3 Kan and Gamak in PhrasesCore Place kan and controlled gamak within teacher-selected phrases. 4. 4 Phrase Memory Across RegistersCore Reproduce and extend heard phrases within the teacher-approved range. 5. 5 Structured AlaapCore Develop a four-minute alaap through successive register areas. 6. 6 The Slow Gat and Its MukhdaCore Learn a proposed Masitkhani gat with sthayi, antara and a secure return. 7. 7 Guided Ornament and Slow-Gat RehearsalCore Integrate meend, ornament and slow gat with accompaniment. 8. 8 Module 2A PresentationCore Present the slow-gat study and explain its phrase choices. 9. 1 Three-Swara MeendElective Extend your meend to a pull across three swaras on an instrument suited to it, checking each landing against the reference. 10. 2 Ornament Notation ClinicElective Agree signs for ornaments with your teacher and use them to write and read back ornamented phrases. 11. 3 Phrase Recall After a DelayElective Test your memory of newly learned phrases by leaving them for a day before you play them back. 12. 4 Sung Bandish to Instrumental PhraseElective Hear a bandish your teacher sings and adapt its phrases for the sitar in the Etawah / Imdadkhani manner. 13. 5 Low-Register Development StudyElective Develop phrases in the lower register in the Maihar manner, on a sitar suited to that range. 14. 6 Seventeen-Fret Phrase SolutionsElective Work on pitch solutions for a seventeen-fret sitar in the Jaipur Senia line, as your teacher validates them. 15. 7 Dhrupad-Informed Opening StudyElective Study opening phrases supplied by a Bishnupur practitioner, with attention to where the rests fall. 16. 8 Jafferkhani Phrase StudyElective Learn a stroke-phrase study from the Indore Beenkar / Jafferkhani baaj line and listen for how each stroke is articulated. 17. 9 Silent Fingering RecallElective Prepare phrase fingerings silently before sounding them, so the left hand knows the shape before you play. Show 13 more topics Your teacher fills 4 slots from the electives, their own topics or both. 2. 2B ### Module 2B: Tantrakari, gats and laya 8 core + 4 teacher-set from 17 topics Play one bol study in single, double and triple density and build a Razakhani gat with six todas. Develop jod into basic jhala. Count dugun, tigun and chaugun, construct a tihai and play a gat in Rupak or Jhaptal. 1. 1 Stroke and Range ReviewCore Review clean attack and movement before adding rhythmic density. 2. 2 Bol Development at Three DensitiesCore Recite and play one bol study in single, double and triple density. 3. 3 Razakhani Gat and Toda VocabularyCore Build a proposed Razakhani gat with six distinct todas. 4. 4 Jod and Basic JhalaCore Develop pulse from alaap into a short chikari-supported jhala. 5. 5 Layakari and the First Designed TihaiCore Count dugun, tigun and chaugun and construct a simple tihai. 6. 6 A Gat Beyond TeentaalCore Apply a prepared gat to one proposed additional cycle and recite a second. 7. 7 Guided Gat-to-Jhala RehearsalCore Rehearse gat, todas, a counted tihai and a short jhala with tabla. 8. 8 Module 2B Rhythm and Notation ReviewCore Present the rhythmic study and notate a gat with bol and ornament marks. 9. 1 Extra Tihai DesignsElective Add more simple tihais to your gat work, counting each one aloud before you play it. 10. 2 Rupak and Jhaptal ExtensionElective Take an approved exercise into a second proposed cycle, Rupak or Jhaptal, keeping the count steady. 11. 3 Tuning and Fret SettingElective Learn how frets are set on the sitar and how a displaced fret is corrected under your teacher's supervision. 12. 4 Meend Within the GatElective Place sung-contour phrases inside a gat in the Etawah / Imdadkhani manner while the returns stay where they belong. 13. 5 Bol-Led Jod StudyElective Explore how a bol motif can carry jod forward in the Maihar manner, using material a practitioner has chosen. 14. 6 Traditional Gat-Bol StudyElective Learn a traditional Jaipur Senia gat extract slowly, stroke by stroke, as a practitioner has supplied it. 15. 7 Bishnupur Gat StudyElective Learn a gat extract supplied by a Bishnupur practitioner, working phrase by phrase with your teacher. 16. 8 Jafferkhani Articulation StudyElective Work on a stroke grouping from the Indore Beenkar / Jafferkhani baaj line and keep it steady when the tempo changes. 17. 9 Bol Sight ReadingElective Build your sight reading of bol notation so that new patterns can move from the page to the strings. Show 13 more topics Your teacher fills 4 slots from the electives, their own topics or both. 3. 2C ### Module 2C: Raga development and gharana awareness 8 core + 4 teacher-set from 17 topics Review eight raga records and tell allied ragas apart. Compare five traditions through sourced listening, play vistar and four slow taans and explain thaat and time conventions. Trade phrases with tabla and present a ten- to fifteen-minute set. 1. 1 Portfolio Review and Practice DesignCore Review eight cumulative raga records and plan work on a measured weakness. 2. 2 Allied Ragas and Listening RecognitionCore Compare allied ragas through identifying phrases rather than scale alone. 3. 3 Comparative Gharana StudyCore Compare the five included study strands through sourced listening and one phrase transcription. 4. 4 Vistar and First TaansCore Develop gat-based phrases and design four slow taans within the raga. 5. 5 Theory Through the RepertoireCore Explain thaat, time conventions and composition structure through the studied repertoire. 6. 6 Responsive Playing with TablaCore Exchange short phrases with tabla while maintaining the cycle. 7. 7 Guided Intermediate SetCore Rehearse a ten-to-fifteen-minute raga set with an agreed tempo plan. 8. 8 Intermediate Portfolio and PresentationCore Present the raga set and defend four practical studies from the eight-raga portfolio. 9. 1 Closing Dhun in a Song CycleElective Learn a light dhun in Dadra or Keherwa to close a set, and how it differs from strict raga elaboration. 10. 2 An Additional Allied PairElective Study a pair of allied ragas your teacher chooses and the diagnostic phrases that keep them apart. 11. 3 Listening-Log MethodElective Keep a listening log with timings, and check what you write by replaying the passage. 12. 4 Khayal-Led Phrase DevelopmentElective Answer a supplied khayal phrase on the sitar in the Etawah / Imdadkhani manner, keeping the shape of the vocal line. 13. 5 Maihar Rendering ComparisonElective Listen to recordings by two Maihar exponents with your teacher and note where their renderings differ. 14. 6 Masitkhani Repertoire ProvenanceElective Write out a Masitkhani gat extract supplied by a Jaipur Senia practitioner and learn the teaching source it comes from. 15. 7 Bishnupur Vocal-Instrumental ComparisonElective Hear how a Bishnupur phrase sounds in the voice and on the sitar, using passages a practitioner has chosen. 16. 8 Jafferkhani Repertoire EncounterElective Learn a short study supplied by a practitioner of the Indore Beenkar / Jafferkhani baaj line and keep its articulation. 17. 9 Recovery After a SlipElective Practise keeping the cycle in your head so that, after a slip, you rejoin the gat at the next sam. Show 13 more topics Your teacher fills 4 slots from the electives, their own topics or both. Why Intermediate ## What Intermediate builds - ### Ornament with pitch control Develop two-swara meend, kan and gamak within taught phrases while each pitch centre stays clear and the hand stays relaxed. - ### Two kinds of gat Learn a slow Masitkhani gat and a faster Razakhani gat, then grow them through todas, vistar and slow taans with accurate returns. - ### Traditions compared by ear Compare five sitar traditions through sourced listening and one transcription, and learn to tell a baaj from a lineage label. Lessons ## Ways to learn ### One-to-one Learn at your own pace. You book online lessons through KalaSudha in your own time zone. [Register interest in 1:1 lessons ](/en-bd/course/sitar/intermediate/show-interest) ### In a group Learn in a group on a timetable. [Ask about group lessons ](/en-bd/form/learner-enquiry?source_entity_type=node&source_entity_id=1844) Questions ## Questions about Intermediate Entry, pace, assessment and what you show to finish the level. ### How do I move from beginner to intermediate sitar? You move to Intermediate sitar when your Foundation evidence is complete or a placement review shows the same milestones. Your teacher checks clean Da-Ra strokes, paltas, three studied ragas, a one-swara meend and two short gats played with tabla. Intermediate then adds longer meend, gamak, slow and faster gats, jod and jhala. ### How do I learn jod and jhala on the sitar? Sitar jod and jhala come in module 2B of Intermediate. You add a steady pulse to the alaap to make jod, then move into a short jhala where the chikari supports the melody. The check is two minutes of jod and one minute of basic jhala with a stable balance between melody and chikari. Full jod-jhala development comes at Advanced. ### Do I learn raga theory at Intermediate sitar? Yes. Intermediate sitar teaches thaat, time conventions and composition structure through the ragas you play. You write or dictate a short response with musical examples and explain exceptions without inventing rules. You also tell allied ragas apart by their identifying phrases rather than their scale. ### How is the Intermediate level of the sitar course assessed? The Intermediate level of the sitar course ends with a live or continuous recorded set of ten to fifteen minutes. Across four practical raga studies you show a slow Masitkhani gat, a faster Razakhani gat, a four-minute alaap, two minutes of jod with one minute of basic jhala and one study outside Teentaal. You also submit notation and a short written or dictated theory response with musical examples, and your teacher tests recognition across eight studied ragas. ### Still have questions? Our support team can help you find the right answer. [Contact support](/en-bd/form/learner-enquiry?source_entity_type=node&source_entity_id=1844) Next steps ## Ready to begin Intermediate? Tell us what you want to learn and where you are today. An academy advisor will help you find a good next step. [Talk to an Advisor](/en-bd/form/learner-enquiry?source_entity_type=node&source_entity_id=1844) [ Back to Sitar](/en-bd/course/sitar) Next level ### Advanced [Explore Advanced ](/en-bd/course/sitar/advanced)