Alankars
- Practicing Alankars everyday is the best way to become proficient in playing on other instrument.
- Alankars are the logical patterns of Swars which should be played along with Taal (beats).
- You can take help of a Tabla player to assist you, or a Tanpura (actual, electronic or App based) or a Metronome which can be downloaded from the internet.
- There is no hard and fast rule to play Alankars. Only thing, you have to practice the notes in both Aaroh and Avroh.
- Now, the question is what are Aaroh and Avroh? So, playing notes in ascending order (from left to right or from bottom to top) is Aaroh and in descending order (from right to left or from top to bottom) is Avroh.
- With basic understanding, you can create a number of Alankars on your own.
THUMB RULES
- Equal number of Swars (notes) in both Aroh and Avroh
- Avroh should end on the Swar with which Aroh began
- The pattern must be logical, like, the gaps between notes should be alike in each set
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 |
| S | R | G | M | P | D | N |
ALANKARS FOR PRACTICE
Follow the Alankars daily as arranged below. Practice these for at least 30 minutes daily. While playing these on your Flute and other instruments, recite the names of the Swars in mind so that you remember their sound. Random playing of notes will not help you grow in your: music. Once you understand the logic of setting patterns for Alankars, you can create thousands of your own Alankars.
Aaroha : S | R | G | M | P | D | N | S’
Avroha : S’ | N | D | P | M | G | R | S’
AAROHA
| S | ||||||||||||||
| S | R | S | ||||||||||||
| S | R | G | R | S | ||||||||||
| S | R | G | M | G | R | S | ||||||||
| S | R | G | M | P | M | G | R | S | ||||||
| S | R | G | M | P | D | P | M | G | R | S | ||||
| S | R | G | M | P | D | N | D | P | M | G | R | S | ||
| S | R | G | M | P | D | N | S’ | N | D | P | M | G | R | S |
AVAROHA
| S’ | ||||||||||||||
| S’ | N | S’ | ||||||||||||
| S’ | N | D | N | S’ | ||||||||||
| S’ | N | D | P | D | N | S’ | ||||||||
| S’ | N | D | P | M | P | D | N | S’ | ||||||
| S’ | N | D | P | M | G | M | P | D | N | S’ | ||||
| S’ | N | D | P | M | G | R | G | M | P | D | N | S’ | ||
| S’ | N | D | P | M | G | R | S | R | G | M | P | D | N | S’ |
ALANKAR #1 : (Pattern – 1,2 | 2,3)
Aaroha: SR | RG | GM | MP | PD | DN | NS’
Avroha: S’N | ND | DP | PM | MG | GR | RS
ALANKAR #2 : (Pattern – 1,2,3 | 2,3,4)
Aaroha: SRG | RGM | GMP | MPD | PDN | DNS’
Avroha: S’ND | NDP | DPM | PMG | MGR | GRS
ALANKAR #3 : (Pattern – 1,2,3,4 | 2,3,4,5)
Aaroha: SRGM | RGMP | GMPD | MPDN | PDNS’
Avroha: S’NDP | NDPM | DPMG | PMGR | MGRS
ALANKAR #4 : (Pattern – 1,2,3,4,5 | 2,3,4,5,6)
Aaroha: SRGMP | RGMPD | GMPDN | MPDNS’
Avroha: S’NDPM | NDPMG | DPMGR | PMGRS
ALANKAR #5 : (Pattern – 1,3 | 2,4)
Aaroha: SG | RM | GP | MD | PN | DS’
Avroha: S’D | NP | DM | PG | MR | GS
ALANKAR #6 : (Pattern – 1,4 | 2,5)
Aaroha: SM | RP | GD | MN | PS’
Avroha: S’P | NM | DG | PR | MS
ALANKAR #7 : (Pattern – 1,2-1,2,3 || 2,3-2,3,4)
Aaroha: SR-SRG | RG-RGM | GM-GMP | MP- MPD | PD- PDN | DN- DNS’
Avroha: S’N- S’ND | ND- NDP | DP- DPM | PM- PMG | MG- MGR | GR- GRS
ALANKAR #8 : (Pattern – 1,2,3- 1,2,3,4 || 2,3,4- 2,3,4,5)
Aaroha: SRG- SRGM | RGM- RGMP | GMP-GMPD | MPD- MPDN | PDN- PDNS’
Avroha: S’ND- S’NDP | NDP- NDPM | DPM-DPMG | PMG-PMGR | MGR-MGRS
ALANKAR #9 : (Pattern – 1,2,1 | 2,3,2)
Aaroha: SRS | RGR | GMG | MPM | PDP | DND | NS’N
Avroha: S’NS’ | NDN | DPD | PMP | MGM | GRG | RSR
ALANKAR #10 : (Pattern – 1,3,2,1 | 2,4,3,2)
Aaroha: SGRS | RMGR | GPMG | MDPM | PNDP | DS’ND
Avroha: S’DNS | NPDN | DMPD | PGMP | MRGM | GSRG