Khamaj खमाज
Komal Ni with the other six notes shuddha: the scale of Khamaj, Desh and Jhinjhoti
Khamaj thaat is one of the ten parent scales of Hindustani music: komal Ni, the other six notes shuddha. Khamaj, Desh and Jhinjhoti are grouped here.
- Sa (fixed)
- Shuddha Re
- Shuddha Ga
- Shuddha Ma
- Pa (fixed)
- Shuddha Dha
- Komal Ni
Green: shuddha or fixed · Blue: komal · Amber: tivra
Ragas in Khamaj Thaat
7 ragas classified in this thaat
Bangala
बंगला
Desh
देश
S R M P N S' | S' n D P D M G R G .N S
Gorakh Kalyan
गोरख कल्याण
S R M D n D S' | S' n D P M R S, .n .D S
Jhinjhoti
झिंझोटी
S R M P D S' | S' n D P M G R G S
Kalavati
कलावती
S G P D n S' | S' n D P G S
Khamaj
खमाज
S G M P D N S' | S' n D P M G R G S, .N S G M P
Janak Raga
A representative raga of this thaat
Khamaj
खमाज
S G M P D N S' | S' n D P M G R G S, .N S G M P
Musical Characteristics
Scale and musical context of this thaat
Swara Patterns
Distinctive Features
Around the World
Global connections and equivalent scales
Harikambhoji (melakarta 28)
S R G M P D n
Melakarta 28 of Carnatic music takes the same seven notes, with kaisiki nishada, the lowered seventh, and P. Sambamoorthy pairs it with the Mixolydian mode. The Carnatic raga Harikambhoji and its janya Kambhoji have their own phrases and gamakas; what the two systems share is the scale.
Mixolydian mode
C D E F G A Bb
With Sa on C the notes are the Mixolydian mode, a major scale with a lowered seventh. Only the notes match: Raag Khamaj, for one, drops Re in ascent, and each raga of the thaat keeps its own ascent, descent and emphasis.