बंदिशComposition writer

What it does

A bandish is written as a notebook has it: its sthayi, its antara and whatever follows, each on the taal's grid from the matra it starts on, a row for each avartan, the vibhags marked from sam to khali. Write the swaras with a keyboard made for them: komal and tivra, mandra and taar, dashes to hold, grace notes and the arc of a meend. Under each avartan go its words, a syllable to each matra, in Devanagari or any script you write in, or a gat's bols.

Heard, and printed

Play it back in your Sa on harmonium or santoor, with the tabla keeping its theka, each section coming in on its own matra, each swara lit as it sounds; loop one section, or slow it down. Then print it: a page with its raag and title, each section on its grid, the words under the swaras, as a PDF to save, print, or send to your teacher.

Into your riyaz

Add a composition to a riyaz and it becomes one of its items, its sections its angas, its sheet kept with it: practised there, timed, its swaras followed as you play, and growing petals like everything else you practise.