Panchama

Panchama/Pancham is the 5th svara from the 7 svaras of Hindustani music and Carnatic music. Panchama is the long form of the syllable प. For simplicity in pronouncing while singing the syllable, Panchama is pronounced as Pa (notation - P). It is also called as पंचम.

Pancham (Pa)

More information and importance of Panchama

The following is the information about Panchama and its importance in Indian classical music:

  • Panchama is the fifth svara in an octave or Saptak.
  • Panchama is the immediate next svara of Madhyama (Ma).
  • The svara of Panchama is never Komal or Tivra, it is always Shuddha in any given raga just like the svara Ṣaḍja.
  • It is said that Sadja is the basic svara from which all the other 6 svaras are produced. When we break the word Sadja then we get, Shad And Ja. It means that Shad is 6 and ja is 'giving birth' in Marathi. So basically the translation is :
 षड् - 6, ज -जन्म. Therefore it collectively means giving birth to the other 6 notes of the music.

So the svara Pa is formed from Sadja.

  • The frequency of Panchama is 360 Hz. The frequencies of the 7 svaras are also given below: Sa 240 Hz, Re 270 Hz, Ga 300 Hz, Ma 320 Hz, Pa 360 Hz, Dha 400 Hz, and Ni 450 Hz, Sa 480 Hz (Taar Saptak) ........ (and so on).

Consequently, the Pa after the Ma of 640  Hz (Taar Saptak) has a frequency of 720  Hz i.e. the double of the Lower octave Pa.

  • There are 4 Shruti's of Panchama. Previously the main Shruti not only for Pa but for all the other svaras was on the last Shruti but now it is considered to be on the 1st Shurti.

For example, if these are the 4 Shruti's of Pa then, 

                      Previously this was the position of the main Shruti of Pa.
                       ^ 
             1   2  3  4
             ^
             But now this position has become the main Shruti of Pa.
  • All the other svaras except Sadja(Sa) and Pancham (Pa) can be Komal or Tivra svaras but Sa and Pa are always Shuddha svaras. And hence svaras Sa and Pa are called Achal Svaras since these svaras don't move from their original position. Svaras Ra, Ga, Ma, Dha, Ni are called Chal Svaras, since these svaras move from their original position.
    Sa, Re, Ga, Ma, Pa, Dha, Ni - Shuddha Svaras
   
    Re, Ga, Dha, Ni - Komal Svaras 
  
    Ma - Tivra Svaras
  • Ragas where Pa is the Vadi svara - Raga Nat Bhairav, etc. Ragas where Pa is the Samvadi svara - Raga Brindabani Sarang, etc.
  • Hypothetically speaking, Pa is said to be the Praja, Praja as in, the three main gods, Bhrama, Vishnu and Shiva were first created i.e. Sarkar (Sa) and then these three gods created Rishimuni i.e. Re and then Gandharvas were created for singing and then lord Indra or Raja Indra i.e. Mahipal was created and once the Raja or the king was created, the Praja or the common citizens or the people were made. Pa is made the acronym of Praja or the common people for showing the importance of the syllable Pa.
  • Panchama is said to be sourced from the Call of the cuckoo.

Reference
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See also
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